Weekend Recap

So I have been doing zero scrapbooking here. Zero!
I am not sure why.
One layout and one mini album since the beginning of this year!
(eta - looking back I forgot the three Valentine's cards I made a few weeks ago.)
Fortunately, I have a little scrapbook getaway this weekend with friends and plan on finishing up an album or two.
So I should have pages to share soon!

The flip side is that going away for the weekend means less time with Mike.
Since he is only home on the weekends, it's kind of a bummer. It pretty much means seeing him for a little bit when he gets home again on Thursday night and then on Sunday for a bit before he leaves again.
But I think I really need this time to be away a bit. It's been a year since the last getaway, and I am looking forward to it. I really want to get some pages done!!!

I will say another reason scrapbooking has been on hold (besides the occasional design team assignment) is that it just hasn't been a priority for me. So much going on with the family and also at the kids school. I am pretty involved up there between volunteering, helping to teach art and the occasional substitute teaching. And homework has taken on a whole other level for Evan this year.
He has had a huge research project that he has been working on since November. It's something the kids do every year once they hit about 4th grade. In the past he has chosen Science as his project. But this year it was History.

His research and report was on The United Nations during the Cold War. Four months of research, writing papers, an annotated bibliography and more. Four months where I just backed off and let him go, but had to make sure he was staying on track at the same time. And it paid off! He went to History Day on Saturday and made it to the Regional Finals! Out of all the kids there he placed in the top seven. He didn't make it to State, but for his first time ever attending History Day we are just so proud of him.

The competition took pretty much all day on Saturday. And can I just say he is so funny. When he found out he was moving on to the finals, he was disappointed! He wanted to go home like the rest of his friends and not spend another two hours waiting around. But a trip to Borders while we waited for the awards ceremony, a new Minecraft book and we were set for the afternoon.

So grateful to Mike for making sure Erin got to dance and her friend's birthday party while I was with Evan. We make a great team :)

On Sunday, the four of us went to see...

The Lego Movie! Mike and Erin had already seen it, but they happily went back with us. :) It's a super cute movie! Especially if you love Legos like we do around here.

So no scrapbooking this weekend.
But I did clean up in my space a little bit, since I need to start getting things together for next weekend's crop. I think I want to try and work on my Summer 2013 Project Life album and maybe try and finish the Florida Trip album I started at the same crop last year. I can't believe it's been a whole year already!

Going to take the rest of the week off from blogging except for a post I have going up on the Paper Issues blog tomorrow. Don't forget to link up your projects using Color or Numbers for a chance to win a $20 gift card to the store! So super easy since it doesn't have to be a new project. I will be checking the link ups tonight for someone to feature along with a layout of mine for the post. Would love to feature a familiar face! :) You can link up your projects on this post *Here*.

Hope you have a great week!

Paper Issues: March Swag Bag

So I was going to post about the March Swag Bags available over at Paper Issues
but as of yesterday afternoon there were only 18 left out of 100.

Here is a peek at some of the things that are inside. The good news is that there may still be some available today. But if not there may also be some that go up in the shop after March 1st if any of the subscribers decide to pass this month.
The best way to make sure you can get one in the future is to subscribe. These little embellishment bags are $9.99 each. And with my discount code MARYJO, you can get 20% off on top of that. Here is the link to subscribe if you are interested - Swag Bag subscription.

So on Tuesday, I uploaded my layout from my post on Monday to the scrapbook gallery over at Two Peas in a Bucket and discovered yesterday that it had been pinned to Pinterest over 100 times!

I have never had that happen with any of my other layouts. And then I noticed that someone from 2p's had posted it to one of their Pinterest boards called "The Peas are So Inspiring". That was kind of fun and cool to know that I can be inspiring. :)
But then it made me think. I never would have known it was pinned there if I hadn't popped over there to see where all those pins were going. And now this layout is all over the place on Pinterest. Kind of eye opening how you just don't know where your photos are going to end up in cyberspace without your knowledge. :-O And truthfully, there is no way of knowing who is actually reading my blog unless they comment.
I find myself wanting to post less and less personal photos as a result sometimes.
I think I have definitely been more picky about what I am willing to post in the last year.

Just curious...what are your thoughts on how the internet has changed privacy?

Paper Issues: Color By Numbers!

I am so excited about this current issue being revealed today by Paper Issues!
One, because the theme was kind of my idea :)
And two, because I am one of the design team members providing a layout for this issue.
It can be interpreted a number of ways (your favorite/lucky number, use number product or a number as a focal point, add color to your page using gelatos, mists, Copic markers, watercolors, ink, paint etc...)

Here is my page using the photo collage from a few posts back that is in Mike's mini album. But I kept it intact for this page instead of cutting it apart.
I decided for the Color by Numbers theme that I was going to use my gelatos for a little bit of a watercolor technique.

I started out by tracing a heart on white cardstock using an acrylic heart shape. Then I loosely filled it in with my gelato.

Then using my handy little water color brush, I filled it in. So, So easy. You can also just use a plain brush. But with this tool, I don't have to mess with a cup of water. Just squeeze it and go!

I made a few extra just in case. Plus it was kind of fun to play with it a bit. :)

I then cut out the hearts I wanted by hand and loosely attached them to the page. I decided to use one for my journaling and really like how that turned out.
I can see myself using gelatos more in the future. I have been looking for some more fun tutorials. And someone recommended *This Class* by Wilna over at Two Peas in a Bucket. Not sure I want to spend the money though.

Also, just want to mention that Pinkfresh Studio is actually sponsoring the issue this month and giving away a goodie bag full of product to one lucky person who links up with this issue.

That little half pink/half plain wood veneer piece in my photo is by Pinkfresh Studio. So cute!

Here is a peek at some of the goodies you could win.

So make sure you check out this post *Here* on the Paper Issues blog for all the details on how to link up your projects featuring numbers and/or color :) Looking forward to seeing everyone's projects!

Thanks for stopping by today!

The Valentine's Day List

This post today is for the "List With Friends" project. You can read more about the project on this post *Here*.

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fitting to share a Valentine/love theme list :)

1. Pinterest - Oh, how I love Pinterest for finding ideas and inspiration. Here are a few of my favorite recent finds this year.

(click for link here)

How cute are those! I know I have star stamps and paint. This would be super easy for Erin to make!

(click for link here)

And I think Evan would actually love these. Well, maybe not the sentiment. Too mushy ;) But the paper airplane idea is pretty cool. He is actually giving his friends homemade valentines. A pencil drawing he did of their school that I scanned and made valentine size for him.

(click link here)

I think these are my favorite! We love glow sticks here and this is just so very clever. I wish I would have seen this earlier. But maybe next year for Erin. Although, I am thinking this would make a fun gift not just for Valentine's day. So I may work it in somehow at another time.

2. A Card - I made another Valentine's Day card. We have a theme over at Paper Issues called "Fill 'er Up" which is over on Sunday with the new issue going up on Monday. I decided to create a card that uses the theme that I am going to give to Mike on Friday with his mini album and other gifts from me :)

The jars are some older rub-on's by Hambly which is a company that is no longer around. I did the title on my computer for the jar on the right and then ran the white paper with the rub-on through the printer. The jar on the left was rubbed onto a fun piece of patterned paper from Crate paper's Love Notes line. And the middle jar is on plain white cardstock which I filled it with some goodies from my Paper Issues February Swag Bag and other supplies that I have on hand. I trimmed around all three and then placed them on my background paper.

3. A Peek or Two - at a Valentine's type layout that I will be sharing on the blog on Monday. So I hope you will come back to see it. It is a design team layout that is an assignment for Paper Issues, so I can't officially post until then. But this will give you an idea of what is to come...

Ok, maybe three peeks.

You might recognize the collage is the one I created for the mini I am giving Mike. I decided to print another one but not cut it up and just use it for a layout. :)

4. Celebrating Valentine's Day - so on the actual day, we typically celebrate as a family if Mike is in town. So we will have dinner together and exchange little gifts. Nothing too big or fancy. And then Mike and I will go out another night to celebrate together. One of our date nights. :)

Do you have any special traditions for Valentine's Day?

How Does This Happen?!

this is the state of my scrap space right now!
Seriously, needs to be cleaned up so I can work on a layout for Paper Issues.
But I have been in the middle of a huge project. My daughter's closet in her room which has up until now been half used for scrap supplies/photo storage and half dumping ground for stuff that I just don't know where to put right now.
I want this closet to be more for her than me since it is in her room, so I started working on it week before last.
And yes it's the same closet I tried to clean out over a year ago, got half way and then it became a dumping ground again.

We live in an older home and our bedroom closets are huge! This is what you see as you walk through the door to the closet. A small video stand on the left which will be gone soon. And two cabinets straight ahead, both holding scrapbook stuff and files. But the top one is almost cleaned out.
I would like to remove that cabinet completely eventually. And the top of that cabinet is cleaned off. It was piled to the ceiling with stuff which is now either in that trash bag to the right or placed elsewhere.

Now picture this area just filled and piled high with stuff. That is how it looked a week ago. No visible floor space at all! But I got a lot of it moved out. Some will go back in but more organized and with a purpose. I would love to get that CD/video shelf out and pack up our cd's, because Erin needs an area in there to hang clothes.

And, Ai yi yi! This side still needs lots of help. I am getting there though. I just want to clear off those taller built in shelves for Erin's stuff. At least the top three shelves. I may still need the bottom one for photo boxes.

So you see that is one major project! And some of that stuff has been piled in my scrap office. Another pile is in my bedroom. I predict this will take me until the end of February to complete. But I need to get in some scrapbook time as well.

In other news, we had some more snow this weekend (surprise!)

 

A friend posted this on my Facebook page and I thought it was hilarious and sadly so true for us here!

Also, Evan and I went to the Mother/Son dance at his school. The only picture I have is not super great quality wise, but it's a memory that I want to have. And of course I can't share it here because he would prefer not ;)

Otherwise, it's been a typical weekend.
A little harder for me last night watching Mike head out of town again for his usual work week.
Sunday nights are seriously my least favorite of the week.
Feeling a little blue without him and missing him today.
But that closet project should keep me busy, right ;)

Also, don't forget that a $20 gift card from Paper Issues is being given away. Just link up your projects that fit the theme "Fill 'er Up" *here* to be entered for a chance to win!

Scrapping on a Snow Day!

So we got several inches of snow on Tuesday night and woke up to this...

and no school for the kids. That is two days they missed this week already! Monday school was closed due to one of the buildings being flooded by backed up drains!
One friend had to work, so her two boys came down to hang out with us.
Then two more friends came down to play.
4 boys + 2 girls = a full house!
But we had fun.
The boys played Legos and a jet game, while we girls...

scrapbooked! I pulled out my February Swag bag from Paper Issues and a ton of other items I thought would work to make Valentine's Day cards. Then the three of us started creating.
When we were done, it looked a little more like this...

 with some extra stuff thrown in the mix. But we had fun!

Now I am not typically a card maker. I wouldn't say it's my strength. And I have a really hard time photographing my cards! But here is what I came up with.

I finished three. The I love you post it note on the first card, everything but the blue background paper on the second card and the typewriter, love notes sticker, sequins, and pink fresh heart on the third card all came from my Swag bag.

I made this card for Mike. We are planning to send him a little package for Valentine's Day at his out of town job site even though he will thankfully be here on the actual day. Erin and I both made cards and we are sending him some candy as well. Just a little "I love you" package :)

And even though the February swag bags are sold out, Cassie put together leftover pieces from the previous swag bags to make "Doggie bags" which are only $5.00! You can see them *Here*.

Each bag is totally different and you can also use my code MARYJO to get an extra 20% off!
The March swag bags will be available in the next few weeks, so I will keep you posted!

Hope you are staying warm where you are if your weather is anything like ours :)

Paper Issues: Fill 'er Up~!

First off, I just want to start by saying how much I enjoyed reading all of your comments for the last post. Let's just say I added quite a few more ideas to my "date night" list!

It's Monday and today starts a new "issue" over at Paper Issues!
Our theme is "Fill 'er Up" which includes the following ideas -  gas prices, what fulfills you/makes you happy, fill up something on your page like a journaling tag in a pocket, make a shakerbox, create a vellum pocket filled with trinkets, confetti, etc.
Or any way you want to interpret it is fine with us.
You can find more details on this post *Here*.
Here are two layouts that I am planning on linking up:

This page definitely makes me happy.
As does this one...

And this also fits the theme because I made a type of pocket out of my photo and filled it with a card that had my Facebook status with comments printed on it from this photo.

These were the only two that really fit the issue this time around. So I am planning on making a card and page for a few extra projects.

I am also scheduled to do a blog post on the Paper Issues blog next week while this issue is going on, and will be looking to see if any of my blog/scrapbook friends have linked up so I can feature you!
Hope you will join in. This issue runs from February 3-16th and the prize is a $20 gift card to the store.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a Happy Monday!