Angry Bird Birthday Invitations...

Rainee had been wanting an iPad tablet for sooooo long... that back in October I told, I would try to get her one... BUT... it would have to be for her birthday... AND...  she could either have a party OR a tablet... not both... so Rainee decided on the tablet... sooooooooo there wasn't going to be a party...

But as her birthday came closer... AND... mommy being mommy... I couldn't let her birthday go by

without her sharing it with a few friends & family... so when I told her we could have a cupcake party... no fancy thing birthday... what would she like this years birthday theme to be... she said an Angry Bird Party... And of course, me being me, I could just buy invitations... I had to make them... so here they are... Rainee's Angry Bird Invitations... and I love love love them...

Now that they're done... I've had so many people wanting to buy them... I'm thinking about putting the a digi file along with instruction on how to make them in my etsy store... what do you think???

Photos of the party will be coming... have a fabulous Wednesday...

Steve, Happy 9th...

Today is my 9th wedding anniversary. And since Steve & I met at Starbucks I thought it only appropriate to make a card with something from Starbucks. So, this card is made from the cups they were using during Valentine's Day... super simple... but I love how this card turned out...
Happy 9th Anniversary Steve...

Bird Watching...

This photo is from a couple of weeks ago... when Rainee and I were playing in the backyard... when we saw 2 humming birds flitting around. They were coming and going so fast we could hardly keep up with them. It was such fun bird watching. They made our afternoon even more pleasant.

I used SketchyThursdays sketch for this layout.. and... pattern paper: Jillibean Soup, solid paper: DCWV, kraft paper: Bazzil, Punches: EKsuccess, iTop: We R Memory Keepers, stamp: g-studio (birds) and Stampendous (woodgrain), sticker letters: Jillibean Soup, Creative Imaginations, buttons: Vintage, cloud die-cut: Papertrey Ink.

Enjoy your Monday...

LegoLand Fun...

Here's another layout of using photos from our time together at Lego Land. For this layout I used the SketchyThursday sketch... this cute paper from Jillibean Soup... and these fun epoxy Lego stickers from Creative Imaginations - which I love... and some other miscellaneous bits.

Thanks for meandering by to read my blog... have a delightful day!

Legos & Star Wars... A Dangerous Combination...

First, you have to know my daughter loves loves loves Legos... and along with Legos she also loves... Star Wars... so when you put this combination together... it can be a bit hard to go to into a Target or Walmart store without stopping by the toy section without the agreement... we're not buying anything today... to which I know she's secretly hoping I'll cave and let her get just one thing... another Lego-Star Wars kit. Sure there are a lot of other toys she has her eye on, but this combination is hard for her to pass by without giving me that longing glance of... please mama!!! And well, most times I'm good... but there are times when I see that longing glance and... it melts my heart.... and I cave.

Second, you have to know that during Spring and the beginnings of Summer... we were inundated with Lego Land commercials... and what is one of their newest attractions... a miniature Star Wars Lego Land.... who knew!! So over the course of several months all I heard was... "Mom, can we go to Lego Land?"... or... "Mom, when are we going to Lego Land"... or...  "Do you think we can go to Lego Land, mom, they have a new Star Wars section and I really want to go... can we?"... or... "MOM! MOM! Come quick... I want to go there... can we go mama, can we???"

So this summer during Steve's vacation we surprised Rainee and took her to Lego Land!!! Once there, Rainee couldn't wait to to see the Star Wars Miniature Lands... as you can tell by her huge grin... this was one of her favorite moments at Lego Land. We had an 'out-of-this-world' time!!!

For this layout, I used just a few of the Star Wars Miniature photos... and the sketch from SketchyThursday... I love how it turned out, but more importantly... Rainee loves it, and can't stop looking at it...

Well, that's it for today... enjoy your Tuesday!!!

Every Days Secret Ingredients...

Rainee is such an incredible little girl... and for so many reasons I know I'm very lucky to be her mom!!! Her beautiful smile brightens any day... always making it more enjoyable... it's just one of my days secret ingredient I can't do with out!!!

This layout is done with this weeks sketch from SketchyThursday. Thanks for making it possible for me to do a fun playful layout with extra photos I've had lying around... thanks bunches!!!

Make today lovely... share a smile...

Second Grade Mini...

Ever since Rainee started school (including preschool), I've made a mini book for her to keep in her backpack... for those days when she's having a rough time... or just misses her family. I know it's something she falls back on often throughout the year... because at the end of the year... it's pretty much thrashed....

Anyway... For this year's back-to-school mini I made the cover to look like a box of crayons.... and the photos inside, are from this summer. I think it's a great way to let her know I'm not far away, even if I'm not right there.

Make today special and enjoy it!

What's Your Favorite...

thing (or things) you collect?? My collections over the years have varied from watches to merri-go-round horse figurines... to teapots & cups... to Coke & diner things... to glass doorknobs... to scrapbook supplies.

Our home is too small to continue collecting things. Although the doorknobs and a few teapots & cups are now decor around our home... sadly the rest are either gone or are boxed up in the garage.

So when it came time to do this Favorite Challenge, I didn't want to do it with something I'd collected in the past. So, for this challenge I went a different direction... I thought about what one thing I wish I could collect... if it were possible. And my wish would be to collect Rainee laughter in a bottle... to collect every giggle... every joyful chuckle... every belly filled laugh she shares... because her laughter brightens every day... and fills every moment with such happiness & delight... I never seem to get enough of it.

Now... it's your turn to share your favorite collection... in a card, layout or project... whatever you'd like we'd love to see it. And sadly this will be the last Favorite Challenge over at TAAFOMFT... life has taken over for Julie so she will be unable to continue the TAAFOMFT Challenge Blog. I will miss the challenges... they have become a new and special part of how I scrapbook. I never thought I would scrap anything other than photos of family... but it's been a wonderful thing to scrap the things in my life (and my families) which are favorites. It's become an important part of sharing our life on paper. I have been blessed to be a part to the DT and it will always be my favorite. I will miss all the emails from my fellow DT members... but I know the friendships will remain. Thank you, Julie, for this delightfully different way to scrapbook. Thank you for being the very best DT boss anyone could ask for... and for your beautiful friendship... you have blessed my life more than you know!!!!

Welcome Baby Card...

This card is from the Baby Shower we went to last weekend. The last time I used this baby stamp... (here & here) I told you how much I loved this stamp... it's perfect for a boy or a girl... it's so versatile... don't ya just love stamps like that?

As for the shower... this was Rainee's very first baby shower and she had such a great time! She loved all the shower games... and she's still talking about how we couldn't say BABY... she thought that was hard and a bit silly... because everything was about babies!!!

Next... I realized this weekend, I haven't posted the Father's Day card I made for Steve. For the card, I used an actual A&W can and cut out the logo. For his gift... I used a your-choice six pack carton from BevMo... then rolled up the shirt & pants, and added one of his favorite beers to the gift.

Well that's it for today... see you tomorrow...

Eat...

Since we had such fun on 'National Donut Day'...making our own donuts... I went searching to find more silly food holidays... and much to my surprise & delight... I found a ton!! After printing out the list, I found that a majority of them were something I could use to entertain Rainee... so I don't hear those dreaded words... "I'm bored" during the summer.

So these photos are from our day celebrating 'National Eat Your Vegetables Day'. It made it a great way to eat a few more veggies... because who couldn't do with a few more... Right? One of Rainee's favorites is carrots... so I thought it only appropriate she take photos with them! I love the color combo of her pink top with the orange & green from the carrots... cheery and bright!

I also used the sketch from SketchyThursdays. With summer here, I haven't been scrapping as much as I would like to... but I'm hoping after using this sketch I'll be back in the SketchyThursdays groove once again. Thanks for a great sketch... it was perfect for my photos!!!

Thanks for stopping by... Have a happy Monday!



Have a happy Monday!!!

Donut Day...

This layout is from our day of celebrating a fun silly food holiday... "National Donut Day"... I happened to stumbled upon it... and both Rainee & I were happy I did... did you know even the big donut store chains {Krispy Kreme & Dunkin' Donuts} gave one FREE donut to every guest... fun huh!!!

Anyway instead of going out for donuts... I decided to make our own semi-homemade donuts... we had fun celebrating Donut Day!!! Since then, I've found other silly food holidays we've been celebrating like... Eat Your Vegetable Day.... Strawberry Pie Day... Ice Cream Soda Day... and tomorrow is National Chocolate Eclair Day.... hmmmmmm I wonder what we'll be doing tomorrow...

Thanks for taking a break on my blog and for your lovely comments... see you tomorrow!

Right Before My Eyes...

I've been wanting to do a layout about the changes I see in Rainee... every day there is something new changing with her.... her personality... her height... her confidence... her independence... even her smile with all those teeth she's loosing. She's really bloomed since she started school. And although I miss all the stages of her life that have brought her this far... I am excited to see what each day brings... right before my eyes.

Thanks for buzzing by... I hope your week is full of joy and tons of laughter... 

What's Your Favorite...

"Refrigerator Art"... every piece of artwork Rainee makes is a favorite... and each one finds a spot on our refrigerator. I love every piece of artwork and every sweet note she gives me... and it would be impossible for me to pick just one. So instead, I made a mini book of Rainee's refrigerator.

Over the years I take photos of our fridge... but once Rainee started school, I decided to take a photo  right before each new season, as I'm taking down the old and putting up the new. These photos are from her First Grade Year... I left some blank in the back for the photos I still need to find... and for her more of her artwork in the future. This is one of my favorite ways of documenting our everyday life...

Now its your turn... you can make a card, a layout, a mini album, an altered item... about your favorite piece of art! Be sure to check out our DT for what is their favorite. Our prize this time is a $25.00 Gift Certificate to a favorite place...  NoelMignon.com! You have until 9PM the 28th of June to upload your project.

Thanks for your comments and stopping by they are always appreciated!! Enjoy your Wednesday...

Dream Big...

I've been wanting to use this background paper for awhile... but just couldn't figure out the right photo... until I saw this one... this photo of Rainee is one of my new favorite photos... She was out side picking flowers for me... smelling each one... and saying either "nope, not this one"... or... "yup, this one is perfect" ... I love the fact that she cared so much about not only how the flower looked... but how it smelled... it was the cutest thing...

Hope you Tuesday is terrific... enjoy!

The Train Museum...

A couple of months ago Rainee & I had the chance to go to the Orange Empire Train Museum with some friends. We rode on all sorts of trains and trolleys.... even an old steam engine. They have... Narrow Gauge Trains, Union Pacific Trains, South Pacific Trains, Santa Fe Trains, California St. Cable Car, L.A.'s Yellow Trolley Cars, Pacific Electric Red Cars... it was amazing seeing all the different types of train transportation and being able to ride them. We didn't have a chance to do everything, so Rainee's already decided we're going back, but next time we're taking daddy!

Have fun to{day}!!!

 

Almost Seven...

I love it when I see layouts of a child days away from turning one year older... they encourage me to do this... not just one year... but every year. Layouts/photos like this remind me of how fast time flies... because before you know it a year has come and gone... and every day is precious.

They also encourage me to take more photos... because, you know, we all have photo of our child on their birthday... but what about those last few days right before? I know I have a few over the last 6 years... but I am so focused on the birthday... and the party... I forget to take the last photos of Rainee before she turns another year older.

But this year... well, this year... I remembered!!! Yeah!! This is such a great photo of her! It's not only right before her birthday... but it's also right before she lost her latest tooth... and is now smiling with her latest toothless grin at seven. I am so happy I was able to capture Rainee and one of her last few days of being six year old... priceless.

Thanks for dropping in... have a lovely lovely Wednesday!