Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!


Happy Halloween!  We hope your day is filled with all treats and no tricks!

We are very excited to see our little guy in the sweet pumpkin costume that our now six year old wore when she was one.  It's amazing how much the look alike when you cover up their heads and don't have the benefit of seeing their hair.  ER is an angel, we got her a new costume after all.  She had said she wanted to wear her blue ballerina dance recital costume. I knew that wouldn't last once the Halloween supplies hit the stores.  She just loves dressing up too much.   She's always been something along the lines of princess or fairies since she could start picking hers out.  I saw a few "scary" costumes at her class party and I'm wondering how much longer that will last.  I hope so, I'm not ready to put her in a sexy vampire costume!  Heck, I'll never be ready for that!

In case you are wondering, here is kiddo #1 as a pumpkin.

Link Up Your Costumes at Jessica's The Mom Creative.
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Project Life Week 39

Onto October for Project Life!  Can't believe this month is actually almost over, but glad I've been able to keep up with my PL layouts.  Back at the beginning of the month we went to see Disney on Ice and to the zoo for their annual fall festival.  Both events are featured this week.
I used two 3X4 cards from two different companies, Simple Stories and Bella BLVD , for the title block that I thought worked well together.  Next to it is are the kids snuggling after ER was bouncing LB on her lap and making him laugh.  The second row has two photo collages, one for each kid. 

The first one is of LB in his co-sleeper, inside of our walk in closet.  He's been there a few weeks now because once he could stand up inside of the co-sleeper, he'd get up and stand by the side, crying until someone came and picked him up every.single.time he woke up during the night.  We had been used to him sleeping through the night so it was rough when no one was getting a good night's sleep anymore.  Glad we decided on this compromise.  Now he's close by, the walk in closet is quite spacious with it's own heat vent and even a window.  The downside is he pulls my clothes off their hangers every night and each nap.  I will be so glad when the basement is finished, the office moves down there, and he gets into his own bedroom.

The second collage is made up of three not so great pictures that together tell the story of how ER loves to dance along when we watch our DVR'd episodes of Dancing with the Stars.  I love to watch her enthusiasm.
The last two pockets on left side of this week are of Brad with ER at Disney on Ice and one of our tickets.  If you pull out the ticket insert, there is more journaling on the backside.  I also took several of my favorite images and made a collage for a 6X12 insert.

ER was very excited to see Merida make her ice debut, and we were happily surprised to also get to see Rapunzel from Tangled for the first time too.  It was a very nice show with four Disney princesses featured.  I loved the aerial show put on by Ariel as she transformed from mermaid to maiden. 

You can read my review of the Disney on Ice Presents Rockin' Ever After, here.  I encourage you to go when the show hits your town.  Be sure to look for a discount code, bloggers in your area often have one to share with readers.  They'll usually save you substantial amounts on great seats!

The back of the insert has some of my favorite pictures of LB in my parent's back yard.  I took them when Brad, LB, and I went over to help out my brother when my parents were away on a two week trip.  ER stayed with Grandma Norma while we took Dave around to pick up groceries and stuff like that. 

I love the pumpkin sweater I picked up for LB last fall on clearance at Janie & Jack.  I've been hoping to get a good fall color photo opportunity and grabbed this one when I noticed how vibrant my mom's bushes were. 

The Harvent Lane collection from Simple Stories was perfect to help me put together a quick layout.

Before we went over to my mom's and dad's we all went to the zoo's fall festival.  We've gone several times and usually do the kid's activities where they paint a pumpkin, have games, and run through the hay maze.  So it was a surprise to hear from ER that she'd rather just see the animals.  I guess she's gotten too big for kid's area, since the stuff never changes from year to year.  LB was too young to mind so we spent the time visiting our favorite exhibits.

It was very neat to see LB really get into seeing the animals.  This was the first time we've been a zoo when he's been really aware of what's going on.  He especially liked seeing the seals swim over him in the tunnel.  I put several photos from our visit on the second half of this week's spread, using a WRMK page protector. It's a style that's grown on me.  I like having the option of putting full sized vertical & horizontal 4X6 photos on one page.  I really wish Becky Higgins' would come up with more page protector designs that combine both photo orientations.  There really isn't a good place for the journaling cards in this type of design so maybe that's one reason why she hasn't come out with one, so for now I used these.  The title circle has been put right on top of the page protector.

Sharing this on Jessica's blog, The Mom Creative.

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Project Life Week 38

Working on catching up with sharing Project Life again.  With this page we'll almost be out of September and finally back up to sharing weeks from the same month we're currently in. 
The first half was very boy orientated, something that once upon a time I would never have thought would ever happen.  Now that I have LB I'm finding I have to go hunt for more masculine products.  Almost everything in my stash is pink, girly, or covered in princesses!
Normally this would be my favorite picture on this side.  Besides the unbelievably sweet little boy :) I love how the cute layered embellishments turned out.  The red stars are made out of washi tape I stuck down to cardstock, punched, and then peeled off.  I thought I was pretty clever figuring out to to that.
Like I said, normally Mr. Cool would be my favorite, but this time around I am completely smitten with this collage of the progress on our basement.  It might not be much to look at but it's taken months to get this far.  I'm so impressed with all the work Mr. Jack of All Trades has put into transforming this area into usable space so we can finally move Mr. Cool out of our room and into his own!  We've got a ways to go but sometimes I feel like I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Another customized sewn page protector for the insert this week.  While it wasn't quite October, I put the kids into their costumes one fine day so I could get a few pictures for the annual Halloween card.  LB is wearing ER's old costume, the only one we can reuse and one of my favorites anyway.  He's so super cute!
The reverse is dedicated to our little angel.  She was going to wear one of her dance recital costumes but saw this one at Target and had to have it.  I knew she's never actually rewear a costume.  She just loves dressing up.  While this one is very pretty with it's pink and gold accents, the wings are really terrible.  They don't attach properly and got so bent up in the bag they never look quite right.   It'll do but I wouldn't recommend it. 
On the otherside of the week's spread I included pictures of ER enjoying one of the last warm sunny nights with dinner on the deck, playing Kinnect with Daddy, and helping me check out a new Floam kit.  I have been seeing how other PL'ers alter their journaling cards to match their layouts and I took some of mine and added papers to coordinate better and really like how it stretches my stash.  Hope I can do this more often.

Sharing my Project Life week at Jessica's blog The Mom Creative.

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Project Life Week 37

This was the week with the long anticipated wedding of my good friend from college and sorority sister.  She's a little camera shy, I couldn't resist asking her while she was planning for the big day, if she realized a photographer was going to be taking pictures of her and she couldn't ask all annoyed...as usual.  I blurred out her face, her new husband's, and another sorority sister and her husband because I wasn't sure if they were ready to be blogged about.  But there was plenty more going on this week back in mid September.
Left Side: Some more mundane pictures than normal, more food shots but I do love me some chicken soup from Costco!  So yummy served super hot, all the goodness with none of the work to actually make it.  We also baked up a batch of confetti cupcakes for a blog review and I decided to add it into the mix instead of a filler card with a quote.  The other pictures are of daily life, which I am finding with an active toddler boy translates into bruises being a constant. 
Speaking of that cute little guy of mine, I did a mini session with him in our front yard.  His Godmother got him the Little Tackler outfit and I wanted a couple good photos to show her of him wearing it.  There were so many I liked I had to make a little insert.  He just loves that Cozy Coupe; would've stayed outside playing in it all day! 
This is the back of the insert, page protector from We R Memory Keepers.  The rest of the supplies used are a combination of things from Doodlebug Design Inc. with a little Echo Park thrown in.
Surprise!  I had a second little insert, not visible when you first turn to this week.  I cut down a Staples page protector and stitched it up to fit my friend's wedding invitation perfectly.  On the reverse is the program from the couple's two ceremonies.  We'd planned to attend at least one but LB got sick and clingy so we couldn't leave him with my MIL as long as we'd hoped to. 

Here are a few detail pictures from the night that didn't make Project Life, but that have been printed for a traditional scrapbook page.
Lovely flowers, this bouquet was the matron of honor's. Love how the deep red and blue, her main colors for the day, looked combined.
The cake topper made me laugh.  It's a nod to the groom for sure.  He's a huge football fan...and I do mean huge!
Now that's a traditional Polish wedding feast plate!  FYI - I realize I may appear to be Korean but in fact, I've got the heart and stomach of a Polish girl :)  Got that from my mom.  Stuffed cabbage and pierogi!!! 
Here's more of glimpse of the second side of the week, all devoted to the wedding.  I'm really happy with how the snapshots from the reception turned out.  A table mate got a nice one of me and Brad, a rarity.  I took a good one of Margaret's family, they all look so nice in their wedding finery.  Three were in the wedding party.  It's made the short list as a potential Christmas card photo, which I am taking as quite the compliment.

I was able to use up some scraps with bits and pieces from my wedding themed supplies.  I am contemplating replacing the cream paper with navy blue so it matched my friend's wedding colors better.  But I am trying equally hard to resist, move on, and not get bogged down with obsessing about making it "perfect".

Sharing this at Jessica's blog, The Mom Creative.

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Crafty Soiree #113

Hello Craftsters!  It's time for our weekly fix of all thing creative, and I'm so glad you stopped by to be a part of the fun!
Love this Three Little Pumpkins project from Burton Avenue.  The bold graphic images look great in vinyl and if you've already got a digital cutter it's a great last minute project!  Angie will even hook you up with a free cutting file so you can make your own.  But hurry, the download link is only good for two weeks and time is almost up for this one!
Elevate treat time into something extra special with these adorable candy bowls from Craft, Interupted.
Cheryl from Sew Can Do has done it again!  Isn't this Merida costume based on the character from Brave amazing?  I looked at a couple of these costumes at the store and let's just say that this proves beyond a doubt that handmade is way better than store bought!
I just love these Leaf Printed cards from Taking Time to Create.  Her beautiful images are created with a real leaf and white ink. 
I was on the look out for fall and Halloween crafts this week, but I couldn't resist sharing the cute Mickey themed birthday party from Peace, Love, 2 Sisters.  Lots of fun mouse themed fun to go around!
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Party Guidelines
1.  Link up to four of your creative projects (No Etsy stores or other linky parties pretty please).  
2.  Add your link to the specific posts not the main URL.
3.  Add a "Crafty Soiree" button to your blog or posts.
4.  Please comment on the post linked up in front of you.  All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!
5.  Your hostesses would love it if you'd follow us. You can find Malia here.
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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Shutterfly's Reusable Shopping Bags Make Perfect Trick or Treat Bags

I can't believe Halloween is next week!  Since the countdown is on I wanted to pop in real quick and share a super fun idea.  Did you know Shutterfly is now offering reusable shopping bags?  You can customize them with your own photos and text.  They roll up really compactly, so they are great space savers besides being green. 

Here are some specifics about the bag:

Choose from 14 layouts
Holds up to 50 lbs.
Water resistant polyester
Machine washable
Handle drop 11.5"

After the 31st you can continue to use it all year round, because seriously, who could put this cute little guy away for just once a year?  With the holidays coming up, I also think Shutterfly's resusable shopping bags would be a fantastic way to package up a gift or extra special stocking stuffers.  Does anyone know of a Grandma or two who might go crazy over one?  I just got one in the mail and thought they were so cool I had to share!

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Disclosure: I received complimentary products from Shutterfly.  The experienes and opinions related within are personal and unbiased by this.  I am a long time Shutterfly customer and have always been very happy with my purchases.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Which Fairy Are You? Coming Oct 23: Secret of the Wings on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download

As huge Disney fans, we've been anxiously awaiting the release of the newest Pixie Hallow Fairies movie and are looking forward to it coming out next Tuesday!

Here's a brief synopsis:

Journey with Tinker Bell and her fairy friends into the forbidden world of the mysterious Winter Woods, where curiosity and adventure lead Tink to an amazing discovery and reveal a magical secret that could change her world forever.

They've brought along some new fairy friends to meet you.  Check out the clip to see them in action and then take the quiz below to learn more about the fairies and find out which one you're most like.



Now for the Quiz!

Download Activities!

I'd love to know which Fairy you are.  Each time ER has been to Disney World the Fairies always tell her she's a water fairy.  She just loves seeing them in person and on her well loved Tinker Bell movies.  We have the whole collection and will be adding this one too!

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Disclosure: Press materials were provided.  Disney enthusiasm real and unbiased.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

A Crafty Soiree #112

It seems to me that it's a lot easier to find adorable girly projects.  There are a plethora of them while fun things to make for your little boy are few and far between.  I was delighted to spy some very sweet, um I mean "scary" projects for our little guys last week.  Let's start off our features with them and one spooky treat that's yummy fun for everyone!
Blueberry Junkie has a cool Child's Spider Shirt How-To.
Find out how to make Monster Knee Patch on Helping Little Hands
Make some yummy Mummy Cupcakes with More Sister Stuff

Since we're halfway through October, I thought it would be a good time to share some projects you can make now and keep out until the snowflakes and reindeer go up.
Pumpkin Pin Cushion from Ana Love Crafts
Isn't this just the sweetest?  I love it's tiny size, the polka dots, the stripes, sigh...I love it all :)
Pattern Paper Pumpkins from It's Always Autumn
These look like a quick and easy way to add some seasonal fun to your home!
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Party Guidelines
1.  Link up to four of your creative projects (No Etsy stores or other linky parties pretty please).  
2.  Add your link to the specific posts not the main URL.
3.  Add a "Crafty Soiree" button to your blog or posts.
4.  Please comment on the post linked up in front of you.  All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!
5.  Your hostesses would love it if you'd follow us. You can find Malia here.
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Let's Party!



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