America the Beautiful

Well, I sat down yesterday to make something for today's post and knew I had to go patriotic.  I also knew I did not want to make a card.  I decided I wanted to use this fabulous American Eagle image by Meljen's Designs and since it wasn't going to be a card I decided I would make something that I could frame and set out (or give as a gift).  Being that I wanted the image to be the center of attention I knew it needed to be big so I decided a scrapbook sized page, actually 8"x10" to fit in a frame, would do.  It also provided me with an avenue to find a sketch which I did at a great blog that specializes in sketches that use 4x6 photos...could that not be anymore perfect?!  The sketch I used is HERE.  I am a collector of all crafting items that are red, white, and blue...patriotic...so I just got into my stash and decided on We R Memory Keepers Yankee Doodles collection.

I gotta tell you guys...when I create something that is patriotic in nature I always feel like it turns out great...I think it may be a gift that God has given me.  I've been thinking about starting a blog for patriotic challenges but am not sure how it would be received and if people would be interested.  I'm hoping to get companies to sponsor the challenges and maybe even ask a couple of people to make samples for the challenges.  We shall see.  Please leave me a comment if you might consider participating in a patriotic challenge a couple of times a month.

Thought of the day:

American Girls and American Guys

We'll always stand up and salute

We'll always recognize

When we see 'Ole Glory flying

There's a lot of men dead

So we can sleep in peace at night

When we lay down our head

~Toby Keith's Angry American Song

Clearing the Clutter Challenge

Happy Friday! I can't believe it is the end of the week already!

Today, I'm introducing a new little challenge that I've brought into my life through a friend of mine, Tana at A Caffeinated Crafter. Okay, what is funny about Tana is that she actually was the babysitter for our boys several years back and now she is married with a boy of her own! Anyway, she had mentioned on her blog that she needed to get moving with some of the projects on her desk and I thought...hmmm...I want to get moving on my scrapbooking so, a challenge (of sorts) was born. We agreed to post every other Friday a project that was sitting on our desk or that we really wanted to work on with today being the first day! Fun, huh?

So, you may NOT laugh at my scrapbook pages! I haven't actually scrapbooked in a long time and was going to take the easy way out, you know use a pre-done page, but I didn't have one that fit my photos so I kinda needed to start from scratch. I had just one 12x12 piece of Belle paper (these photos are from our trip to WDW last year...Belle is my favorite!) and a Page Maps book and got to work...thankfully there was the perfect sketch in the book. I had to alter it a bit but it worked. I made the journaling spot, title (I did some highlights with my white gel pen), flower and heart with my Cricut (Jasmine, Plantin, and Accent Essentials cartridges). Oh, and this morning I did move the journaling spot up and to the left a little as it looked like it was out in Uncle Jacks Farm by itself. Goodness, I think it is harder to scrapbook now that I have all the goodies as I just can't decide which thing I want to use! Click on the image to see a little more of the detail and the photos a little better.

I have to say that I really enjoyed making these pages and can't wait to do another set! You can expect to see those in two weeks, k?! Want to join us in Clearing the Clutter? Well, just clean finish up a project you've been working or or want to work on and link it up here so we can see and encourage you! If enough people are interested I'll add a Mr. Linky to make it easy for everyone to participate.

In the meantime I'll be back with a Doodlebug Designs card tomorrow! See you then!

'Tis The Season

Morning everyone! I'm so glad you all liked my recipe share yesterday. I think I'll go ahead and share something each week. Can't guarantee that it will be low cal but I will try and make it something that I've cooked at least once.

Just another quick layout from a kit that I purchased. I didn't put the tree together quite correctly as it should be higher up on the right page but...such is life. I can still get my photos on there just fine and I have some fun ideas for photos already! Interestingly enough you'll be seeing that fabulous bracket paper again as it is included in another layout kit that I have waiting for me to use it.

So, there you have it...my super quick post today. I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday and I'll see ya soon!

Snowy Serenade

Morning friends! So, we are only a day and a wake up from Christmas...are ya all set? I think we are good to go and at this point...if not, such is life! I would like to run to the store to pick up a different type of frosting for the gingerbread men lollipops as the gel type didn't work very well BUT it is so busy at the store that if I can't get Todd to go with me I won't do it. I do hope to share a picture of those very soon though!

Remember when you said you wanted to see projects whether or not I could link you up? Well, today is an example of that. I went to the Creating Keepsakes Convention back in Oct?, Nov?...can't remember which month for sure (Jen?) but I picked up some wonderful scrapbook page kits (and in fact became a member of their club) and this is one of them. I think it is called Snowy Serenade...isn't that paper just lovely? The sparkle is SO much fun! I could never, in a million years come up with something like this so I feel like it is worth my investment to be part of this club. I have another of these layouts to show you later this week as well. Okay, maybe more than one or two...we'll see. Currently I'm working on a Disney page or two as I need to get my photos scrapbooked before I forget everything about the trip!

Anyway, I hope you will have a fantastic day today!

flip book

Amy Celona at uStamp4Fun has this neat tutorial for a Flip Book available on her blog. This book is rather large at 6"X6". Todd's dad's birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to make him something special...you know something that most grandpa's don't get for their birthday's. This is what I made!

It is made with the retired SU! Simply Scrappin' Kit called He's Cool. I know that the cover looks a little big and over the top but trust me both grandpa and grandma Ames will love this book! I made the cover in publisher and it was actually really fun picking out different words to use! I'll throw a couple of pictures of my kids in there and then they can finish it by adding photos of the rest of the grandkids as they see fit.

So...Whatcha think? Kinda a neato idea, huh? I hope see lots of these out there and what you incredibly talented readers of mine can do with this fun idea.

I've had a couple of my MFT sets shouting at me to use them recently so you just may be seeing something super fantastic coming up! HA!! Probably not super fantastic but you get the idea...right?

Today is my favorite day of the week! I get to get to church and while it is a work day for me too I also get to renew and refresh my soul in the Lord and I always look forward to that! We also have the all church picnic today that I'm really looking forward to. It is going to be hot (99 degrees) today but sunscreen and a sleeveless shirt will do me just fine! Oh, and lots of water too!

Have a super !

more scrapbook pages

Here is another set of pages that I did in my grandpa's scrapbook. The page on the left shows three pictures he had of himself from the 40's while in the Navy. He told me that he has more pictures but that my aunt has them (now why would she keep them? grrr! don't ask...long story) so I made due with what I had. The US Navy at the top I got from Joanne's online and it is an actual picture of water that was laser cut into the shape you see. It is actually really neat!

On the right is the flyer that was given to the guys that talks about who Honor Tour is and what they do. The flyer had received some damage so I decided to get it in there right away. Anyway, I matted the flyer in blue and put the dates of the tour and a couple of stickers on the side for decoration. That's it!

I started working on a "pizza box" yesterday but I didn't finish it up so hopefully this afternoon I won't be too tired and will get it done today. I did get a ton of images stamped up for a couple of my friends though. I bet that will make them happy!

Vacation Bible School starts today so I could possible miss a day or two of posts. Forgive me ahead of time please. Please pray for good attendance, happy children, and a great week glorifying God.

Make it a marvelous Monday everyone!

it's a new day

Good Sunday Morning everyone! Today is a new day and, thankfully, I am feeling a little better today. Good thing 'cuz I've got tons of stuff to do after laying around for two days! I am kind of curious as to how I'm going to make my announcements at church with my "man voice" (as Courtney likes to call it...lol!) though.

While we were in Iowa we had the pleasure of going to my grandma Fern's cousin's farm for a little fun. I lived in the country as a kid but not on a farm so it is always fun to go and do that kind of stuff. Well, Marvin and Jean have a couple of horses and Marvin was nice enough to bring them up from the pasture and get one of them all hooked up to a wagon for Kyler to get to ride in and eventually drive. Then, Marvin got the saddle out and let Kyler ride the horse too. Very exciting for him! Oh, and we got to eat strawberries right out of the garden...YUM!!! Anyway, before I left I made sure to get their address so I could send a thank you card. As I was visiting SCS the other day I saw the Wednesday Tutorial which is called a Pullout Scrapbook and knew I had to make one of them for Mavin and Jean as a thank you because Marvin pulled out the photo album while we were there so I know they love pictures of their farm activities. I also took a picture of their barn that I think it fair worthy so I may be entering that into the fair this coming August.

I also knew I had the perfect Simply Scrappin' Kit from SU! for it called Round Up. And, to top it all off I had this wonderful horse image from the swap I hosted here on my blog! Couldn't be more perfect could it? It is a Pullout Scrapbook because you untie the ribbons and the brown paper, which is 12" long and has been scored, pulls out to the left/right. I'll put pictures that I've ordered on some of the pages and some die cuts on the others. So, whatcha think? A pretty ingenious scrapbook, huh? So wish my brain could come up with stuff like that!

Oh, and I'm kinda excited today because for the first time in months I might get to go to church with my husband! Woohoo! The shift that he has been working (forever it seems like) has had him home at 6 a.m. on Sunday so he hasn't been able to make it but yesterday he worked an earlier shift and came home at 2 a.m. Sooo...maybe, just maybe he'll be up in time to go. Yay!

Thank you so much everyone for your well wishes! Now, off for some breakfast. Have a super Sunday!

my favorite pages

Well, I thought I'd show you another photo of a couple of pages in grandpa's scrapbook. Remember you promised not to laugh! These are my favorite two pages as they are really what the trip was all about. The left side are picture from when my grandpa and 3 other people from their group got to help with placing the wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier. My grandpa and one other gentleman actually put the wreath on the stand. A very emotional time for my grandpa and he still tears up when he talks about it.

The right side is pictures of the actual WWII Veterans Memorial. From what I can see it is absolutely beautiful and very large. There is a "monument" for each state and grandpa had his picture taken with the other nine men from his state that went on the trip in front of it. There is an area that has gold stars on a wall and each of those (4000 I think) gold stars represents 1,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen that didn't make it back from the war. I definitely want to take a trip East to see all of the monuments some day. HERE is a web page about the memorial.

All the paper that is used in this scrapbook is from the Hobby Lobby in Burlington. Wow, now that is a huge store!

Just a reminder about the 3 Little DReaMs design team call. You have until June 30th to apply! I know that several people have sent in their application and I can't wait to see them all! Anyone else design cards with the 3 Little DReaMs kit and want to be listed on my sidebar? Just leave me a comment with a link to your blog (or just your name if you don't have a blog) and I'll add ya!

I decided to change my blog photo again. The picture of me with grandpa is definitely more me. The sunglasses on top of my head is so typical Lorie in the summer...they are almost an accessory!

Well, it is Friday and I hope to have time to create today. Have a super day all!

we're baacckk

After a hour drive to get across the Iowa/Illinois border (which would normally take about 10 minutes) and then a stressful drive into O'Hare airport...Kyler and I are home! Yay! Since we were getting in relatively late on Wednesday night we decided we would just stay the night in Seattle. Great decision as my nerves were toast and the drive home probably would have put me into a little puddle on the floor board of the car!

I know you all want to see artwork now that I'm home but I just haven't had time to make anything new since getting home. I thought I would share photos every now and then, though, of the scrapbook pages I did for my grandpa. You all have to promise not to laugh at me though, k? I got 17 pages done in one day for the scrapbook so you can imagine how much creativity the last couple of pages had! Anyway, the picture of the left is the first page of the scrapbook. It was already pre-printed with the words so I just matted the photo grandpa had from basic training, added the years and taadaa...the first page. It is actually exactly how I wanted the first page to be so it is perfect to me! (Todd's scrapbook starts the same way although I need to go back and add his retarded, oh I mean retirement date to it...teehee!)

The photo on the right is, obviously, my grandpa and I. He has lost some weight due to his health problems but he is doing really well. Do you think we look anything alike? When I walked in the door and looked at him last week all I could see was my mom. My goodness they looked alike! It was a wonderful trip, a great time to share with grandpa, grandma Fern, and Kyler.

Please be in prayer about the flooding in the mid-west. It really is as bad as the news is saying and lots (and I do mean lots) of people have lost just about everything. My grandparents have neighbors who have two of their kids that have completely lost their houses. In the paper one day was a picture of about 6 houses in the river lodged up against a bridge. Now, I know that when cities and houses are built close to a river that there is always that risk but still...so sad. Even my hometown in Janesville, WI is experiencing flooding. Scary stuff that needs to be given to God.

Please know that if I have been absent to your blog and commenting on it that I will be starting back out visiting anew today. I had over 650 new blog posts in my Google Reader (no Internet in Iowa) so there was no way to go through them all. Also, please know that over the next week and a half or so is the busiest time of summer for me so if I'm not around a lot everything is fine I'm just swamped! I've got the final planning of VBS to do and then VBS is next week. We are extremely low on volunteers so I have to figure out what to do there too. If you live in the area and would like to volunteer or have your kids attend our VBS HERE is a link for you! I've missed you all and I'm so glad to be home!