Weekend with the Girls!

Renewed, refreshed and ready for school planning!  I have lots on my plate this week to get ready for school, but I am relaxed and ready thanks to spending the weekend with friends.  We scrapped, chatted and couponed and basically had a wonderful time.  Met some new scrappers and even converted some hold outs over to the dark side of couponing.  Love that!

Here are a few layouts that I can share:

This one was created for the BOSSY SCRAPPER game where one gal gives us a list of things we have to use on our layout:

Created this one with only left-overs:

This one is a mix-match of papers out of my scraps -  love lime green and blue together:

These are for Brooke at the Urban Scrapbooker using some yummy October Afternoon lines:

That's it for today --- haven't heard from my lucky paper pad winner yet - here is the announcement again - check and see if you are the winner!

Fun with Irene!

Meet Irene:

Yes, Irene is a tugboat.  Irene belongs to Marshall, one of David's work buddies at City Light.  We spent Saturday evening aboard Irene enjoying the 85 degree weather and good company. 

Geek is Chic!

Hello.....it's release week over at the Imaginisce Blog and it is all about heading back to school with the new GEEK IS CHIC collection!  This has to be my all time favorite collection from Imaginisce! 

Love this sheet:

and these die cuts:

You will find lots of great back to school ideas this week over on the Imaginisce Blog along with new giveaways every single day! So be sure to head on over there to leave a comment for your chance to win this fun collection!

This is a laminated penmanship book that I created:

and a card:

and a layout of my favorite Geek:

Takin' Care of Business!

The winner of the 6x6 Baby Steps Paper Pad from Simple Stories is.....

Marley said...

Im in love with your mini album!! Its so beautiful! Your daughter in law will be so happy.. and the album is even gonna look more beautiful with the baby pictures in it!! Love your cards too.. thank you so much for a chance to win! Big hugs and thanks for sharing.. Marley

August 19, 2011 2:03 PM

Congratulations Marley!  Please send your snail mail address to theholmescrew@comcast.net and I will mail off your package!  Thanks to everyone that played along with us!

Simple Stories and a GIVEAWAY!

Hey everyone!  It's Friday and it's my posting day over at the SIMPLE STORIES blog --- both perfect reasons to have a giveaway today!  In honor of my BABY STEPS mini-album that is featured today on http://simplestories.typepad.com/simple_stories/2011/08/simple-style-baby-steps.html I am giving away a 6 x 6 BABY STEPS paper pad!  All it takes to be entered to win is two little comments -- one here and one on my post at the Simple Stories Blog!  I will draw the winner on Monday night, the 22nd!  Good Luck!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Today my baby turns 23 years old! 

Not sure how that happened so fast ---

Happy Birthday, Travis.  I hope your day is wonderful!

Summer Funk?

Really?  I know I get in a funk during the dark winter months and even during the wet months of spring --- but the warm, sunny summer months?  UGH....is all I have to say about that.  Maybe it's that I feel like it's gone by so fast that I haven't had time to enjoy it --- maybe I'm already worried about it being over --- maybe it's just that life seems to be crazy busy and a bit out of control right now.  Whatever it is....I need to snap out of it!  Now...right now...of course, I know how.  It's not the weather either. Its all me...trying to be self sufficient and thinking I can control everything around me.  I need to give up that control -- give it to the Lord, so I can enjoy every moment for what it is and not be wishing it was different, better, more controlled.  How come that is so hard for me?  What about who I am makes me a type A personality who needs to always be the one in charge?  This is definitely my weakness when it comes to my walk with the Lord.  This keeps me from drawing nearer to Him and leaning on Him.  It isn't until I find myself in this funk, that the lightbulb turns on, OH YEAH! --- I need to let HIM be in charge.  That is so painful for me.  Even growing up, I can't remember a time when I wasn't self-sufficient.  I rarely needed anyone to take care of me.  I still don't.  Don't get me wrong, I love it when David takes care of me....I just want to control HOW he takes care of me.  I know --- that's not how marriage works.  So, add this to my current funk. 

So, there you go.  My current funk....I need to find a way to balance my need to be in control.  I need to let the LORD control me and my surroundings.  I need to accept that others are perfectly capable of being in charge.  I need to work on this.  I can't do it by myself...okay, Lord....mold me.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Took a walk yesterday with the boys and snapped a couple of pictures:

A self portrait:

Cute Cooper:

A picture of the house from the park - we painted the last side brown last weekend:

Have a great day - thanks for letting me vent and get that in writing.  Sometimes that is all I need to snap out of it!

Scrapbook Hiatus?

Vacation? Yes --- but scrapbook hiatus? Nah.... I can't go a week without creating.  So what do I do while on vacation?  Well, I find myself the closest local scrapbook store and spend the day with friends who will come and keep me company!  Tami, Andrea and I met up in Silverdale for a day of scrappin', laughin' and chattin' and I even got a few layouts finished!

Here is some inspiration for you today!

First off, for the sketch challenge over at Jillibean Soup ---

Sketch designed by the uber talented Julie Bonner:

Next up are a couple layouts created just for fun using the LIME TWIST Collection from My Mind's Eye --- I was thrilled to happen across a scrapbook store a few weeks ago while at an out of town baseball tournament --- I had been coveting these brilliant lime green papers for awhile now!

See that owl and those hearts --- yes, Jillibean Soup again.  Love their corrugated shapes! You know what else I love?  Their packaging!  That big flower shape is the packagind for those shapes -- fantastic!

Hood Canal

We are truly blessed - we get to count the Nehr's and the Reuter's as family.  When we moved into a new neighborhood almost 12 years ago, the Nehr's made us feel like we belonged.  Dick & Julie took the time to get to know us - each one of us - and make us all feel special.  They were like another set of grandparents to my children and like parents to David & I.  Their daughter, Tami, was like the sister I never had. When they sold their house and moved to Seabeck, I cried for months.  Thankfully, Tami and I have stayed in touch.  She is my best friend and I love the connection we have.  We "get" each other and understand when months go by without touching base.  Life happens.  That is what made last week special.  We were able to spend the week at their family cabin.  Both the Nehr's and the Reuter's live within minutes of the beach house and we were able to see them every day --- just like old times.  The simple comfort of that was amazing.  It was a sweet week for sure.  Good for the soul. 

Of course we had tons of fun --- here are a few photos.  I haven't photoshopped them yet because my software is tweeking but wanted to share them anyway!

Meet Gracie --- the little pug from the cabin next door:

Coop had a great time even though he cut up his pads on the oyster beds the first day and spent the rest of the week recooperating!

The kayaks were a favorite and the guys took trips everyday -- with Cooper swimming along side:

There were quiet times:

fun times:

food times:










and times with friends:

I have tons more photos for you but need some time to get them all organized!  I have one more to share with you --- this one is from 2006.  Look at how little all our kids were!

Life is good --- we have been home for 2 days and I still can smell the salt air, see the sun on my kids faces, and feel the warmth of hugging on my friend.  I miss her already. Love you Miss Tami -----

Simple Stories!

Ahh......I'm in love again with another Simple Stories product!  The new 6 x 6 mini pads are my new obsession!  You know all those fabulous page elements that are the trademark of Simple Stories?  Well, now they come in a whole other set of sizes which doubles our options when creating!  I love that all thos little cards and elements now come in minature too!  Here is a peek of a project that I created using that fun little paper pad that coordinates with the new GENERATIONS line --- of course if you head on over to their blog today, you can see it all!

the SIMPLE LIFE

This month one of my favorite manufacturers has teamed up with my favorite kit club to make an amazing kit!  The Simple Life is the August Kit over at Dixie Pieces and it is packed full of yummy papers from the Life Documented line from Simple Stories! 

You can find all the great Design Team inspiration in the gallery and of course you can get your own kit in the store at Dixie Pieces!