Hip HOP CHA Releases

Happy Hip HOP!
I started off the Unity BLOG so be sure to head their first.

SO...who has bought those yummy new rubber stamps?

Did you get any of the new Bella Blvd?






Or Jillibean Soup?



Any Authentique?


I would LOVE to hear what new releases you LOVE! :)

Now hop on over to Natalie.....she rocks! :)

Life Changes. 2012. Week 3

Project Life.
Week 3.

Surprised???
Yep. I wasn't even sure I would make it this long.
It has become part of my daily routine.
Print pictures on Saturday.
Scrap them on Sunday.
It goes fairly quickly as I have plan.
AND I DO love a GOOD Plan. :)

Week 3 was an emotional one for me.
Excitement too ----->SNOW. Lots of FAMILY TiME.
Lots of time for Reflection.
It was one of the weeks were an event occurs that changes the way you view your life.
You see the bad and the good of your life a bit differently.
You think.
I won't go into the WHAT but let you know that it has made a mark.
And now, I have emerged slightly refreshed.
Perhaps in a different set of Life Sunglasses.
But also ready for week 4.
The best part of Project Life is that you can see that life continues.
Memories are still being made.
There are still sounds of laughter.
It reminds us of ALL the GOOD.

Sunday- Just another relaxing day. Lexi came over to visit Jordan. Against their wishes, I captured it. :)
Monday- MLK Day. No work. No school. It sorta few by. Finally, toward the end of the day I asked Max what I could take a picture of today. He replied, "ME!"
Tuesday- OH the LAUNDRY in this house is uncontrollable!!! Mt. Clothes erupted onto the couch again. Ugh.
Wednesday- My fear. SNOW came overnight. We had a 2 hr. delay AND got out 1/2 hour early. SNOWMAGEDDON 2012 began.
Thursday- Thank goodness school was cancelled. It left me time to deal with some more important matters. Caught Calvin in his pjs playing some music. :) I needed to capture that image after the day I had.

supplies-
stamps: This Is the Time Mini, May 2010 KOM A Little Happy, Smarty Pants, Love Beyond Measure, Sweet Loving & Living, Heart Journaling
paper: BasicGrey Nordic Holiday
ink: Distress ink {black soot, broken china & fired brick}
other: twine, slick writer, copic marker, Ali Thickers, Fancy Pants filter paper, Creative Memories corner rounder

Friday- Family sledding. I {loved} this day!
Saturday- Me + coffee + CHA releases = perfect end to week 3

supplies-
stamps: Echo Park Banners, Monthly Report, Sweet Loving & Living, Starts & Ends With Family, the Details
paper: BasicGrey Nordic Holiday Wedge & Carving
ink: Distress Ink black soot
other: Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type, slick writer, copic markers, creative memories corner rounder

Have a refreshing week.

Inspired Hop

Happy Thursday!
Hip Hop day!
Don't forget to start over at the Unity blog.
You don't want to miss a thing!!

Ok...I have to admit.
I DON'T do Pinterest.
I really don't even get it.
I see things 'pinned' on facebook and sometimes even 'like' them but that is the extent of my pin knowledge.
So...when some of the Unity dt gals started talking about it...I thought I would check it out.
I sorta of 'invited' myself.
And...I am still on a 'wait-list'. :(
Is it some social group I have been left of out? :)
The sweet thing is....I can still peek at the pinned stuff.
I can still be inspired....sort of like an outsider spying on the cool stuff.
AND....YES...I do see why it is so addicting...there is a TON of eye candy there.
A plethora of inspiring images.

AND....YES...I was inspired.

Isn't this butterfly GORGEOUS?
YUM!
It reminded me of a UNITY butterfly.............................

Source: Uploaded by user via Teresa on Pinterest

AND so......................................

stamps- Jan KOM Heart & Soul

And then.....I wanted to JUMP into this drink. SO refreshing!

Source: coastal-style.blogspot.com via tinley on Pinterest

Don't you LOVE those colors?
Purple and green.
SO pretty!
It inspired THIS SMAK layout. :)


stamps: Jan SMAK Without You What Would I Do?

Be sure to hop on over to the AMAZING Natalie.
I would 'pin' her.
If I could.
She is INSPIRING. :)

Life Changes. 2012. Week 2

Project Life.
Week 2.
I am still going strong with my daily photos.

Here is a glimpse of life during the second week of January.
It was a relatively uneventful week.
Work. School. Soccer. Basketball.

Sunday-Mr. Calvin decided to build a house out of some balsa wood he found in the garage. He is a nonstop builder of things. The ideas just ooze from him. As do messes.
Monday- Jordan had double soccer practice. High school team. Club team. His two friends came home with him in between and ate up a storm. Then off to practice #2. Busy boys with temporarily full bellies.
Tuesday- Gwen & Max. They do make me smile.
Wednesday- Calvin created a lego ship that moved (the fire turns and propeller spins) as well as lights up. It is AMAZING. It didn't last long until the next creation was built.
Luckily I captured it!




supplies-
stamps: tell me more, priceless glee, moments to remember, remember this date, confession: I luv Unity
paper: October Afternoon Sasparilla Stagecoach, Jillibean Soup Apple Cheddar Soup Milk
ink: memento tuxedo black, distress ink broken china
other: Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type, October Afternoon Mini Market stickers, making memories letter stickers, American Crafts Sunrise Thickers, Jillibean Soup Labels, Vintage Street Tinted Tape Linen, creative memories corner rounder

Thursday- Calvin and Max had basketball practice. I got a few shots of Calvin. Yes....he is sticking his tongue out. Isn't that adorable? He is the smallest one out there. He tries so HARD. How can you possibly keep your tongue in your mouth when you are concentrating that hard?
Friday- End of the week. Nothing like coming home to a fire. It was a cold week. In the 20s. A cozy fire melts away the week, don't ya think?
Saturday- Poor Gwen. She hates when I take her photo. She turns away when she sees I get it out. She was looking so adorable under the kitchen table on Saturday morning. I had to capture it.
I finished off the page with a little quote that seemed to capture my week....
"Every day is a fresh beginning. Every morn is the world made new."

supplies-
stamps: Making the Team, All About Today, This is the Time- Mini, Frame This Alpha, He She You Said, every moment, embrace you
paper: Crate Random Collection Wallpaper
ink: distress ink worn lipstick & peeled paint, memento tuxedo black
other: creative memories corner round, studio calico wood veneer letters

Make the world yours today.
~Maren

Nature Speaks...

I have a little mini album posted over at the Unity blog.

New Beginnings.

Good morning!
The NEW Unity Stamp Company Challenge of the Month will be up today.
The theme this month is.....New Beginnings.
Perfect for a new year, right?
Here is my Welcome Baby card. :)

supplies:
stamps- I adore you, welcome baby
paper- Crate Emma's Shoppe Collection} Fabrics
ink- Distress ink broken china, Stampin' Up regal rose
other- sewing machine, Michaels ribbon

Enjoy your Sunday!

A Few Saturday Cards....

Hope your Saturday is going well.
I have a wonderful 3 day weekend.
No big plans either.
Sweats. Naps. Football. Games. Crafting. Movies.
My kind of weekend.

Here are a few cards for today........

I sewed some tissue paper on this first one.
It gives it a really sweet texture.
We actually had some sun today too.
I bet it was this card that got it going, right? HA!

stamps: You Are My Sunshine

Can you tell this is the world?
Just a little tear of some green cardstock.

stamps: A Little Destination

And...YES...this is a mustache!
I just ADORE the EP mustaches.
SO...I was inspired to make one.

stamps: Favorite Mustache, Just Polka Dots

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. :)

Heart & Soul

Here are a couple creations with the January Kit of the Month: Heart & Soul.

This first one, I was playing around with some markers.
I forget how much I like the multicolored flowers.
I cut out and popped up the frame around the flower.
Fairly quick.
VERY clean.
I have a friend & coworker who is needing a little pick me up. I think this one will do just fine. :)


I ADORE the butterfly in this kit.
I stamped it out in all the colors of the rainbow {well...almost..} and layered them.

Have a splendid day.

Life Changes. 2012 Finish of Week 1

The reality is that most of the time, a day will be a little 4x6 picture.

Here is Wed., Thurs. & Friday.

1.4.2012- Max is a reader. There will SHOULD be a ton of pictures of him reading this year. This is the first one. :)

1.5.2012- My girlfriends and I at work take turns making each other lunch. It was my week. It was full of YUMMINESS too. Thursday was on of my favorites.....Barley & Edamame Salad. Document-worthy. :)

1.6.2012- I am a science teacher. We are studying viruses at school. The student's virus models were due on Friday. A creative take on an interesting content. :)

Supplies:

stamps- KOM Aug 11 What I Know, Good Times Vintage Banner, Smarty Pants, Chilled Strawberry Soup

paper- American Crafts Campy Trails, Studio Calico Armstrong & Tupelo, October Afternoon Sasparilla High Noon

ink- Distress ink (black soot, peeled paint, broken china)

other- Vintage Street Tinted Tape Linen, Glitz Teeny Alpha Red Block, My Minds Eye Lime Twist Fly a Kit Alphabet, Jillibean Soup Soup Labels Days of the Week, American Crafts Slick Writer, Clipboard paperclip

Saturday.

Our weekdays and weekends are now filling again.

Basketball. Soccer. More soccer. And even MORE soccer. Indoor. Outdoor. Club. School ball.

This weekend was no different.

Saturday had me driving Jordan to a scrimmage. Then Max to practice.

I feel like a taxi service sometimes.

I captured a little juggling.

He actually liked these pictures too.

For a TEEN....this is HUGE.

Deserved a WHOLE page.

Supplies:

stamps- KOM July 11 Better Together, A Number of Things, 100% Real Life

paper- My Mind's Eye Lime Twist Fly a Kit Spring Zag

ink- Distress ink (black soot, broken china)

other- American Crafts Slick Writer, Creative Memories corner rounder

Okay. So that completes the first week in January.

I 'plan' to just post an update every Wednesday.

Back to cards for awhile.

I bet that makes you happy. :)