Beginning again.

It's been nearly a whole year since I wrote in my blog, and I'd nearly given it up for a goner. Instagram and facebook has taken it's place, and since I mostly use this place to share my creative endeavors, I have resorted to using those more photo oriented sharing places.

However, as time has gone on, I realized there were things about this little space I'd carved out that I missed: a place where I could write about being a mother, share ideas on ways we'd found worked in our marriage, tell everyone about an awesome new book or recipe I'd discovered, and record truths I wanted to be able to go back and remind myself of.

So... I'm back. I'm not sure how frequently I will post, but I will. It's time. And I'm ready.


XOXO,
V

Valentine's Gift

I think it must be every scrapbooker's curse to at least once have something spill all over one of their projects. I had a lovely layout all created with Julie's awesome sketch, but as luck would have it, my trusty cup of water was toppled over by one of my smaller companions all over my desk, and the main victim was my layout. :( Wahhh wahh! I'm in the process of re-creating it, and I'll be posting it later this weekend.

In the meantime, I do just happen to have another project I can show you today (thank goodness!). A friend of mine asked if I could make a gift for her to give to her husband for Valentine's day, using old photos of them. I was so excited to be able to help her out! 

She gave me several school photographs to choose from, and I converted them to black & white to give them a more "timeless" feel (and so I wouldn't have to work to compete with the colors).

I covered a canvas in text wrapping paper I picked up in the Target dollar spot a while back, and then added a layer of burlap on top of that. A cardstock frame cut out with my Silhouette machine added an elegant contrast to the rugged edges of the burlap. 

The burlap heart from the Lasting Love kit made a fun focal point, and an accent cut from corrugated cardboard added the right texture to complete the simple design.

I used cool office clips attached with two brads (and some hot glue for security) to clip  up mini collages made from papers & labels from the Lasting Love kit and the photos on top. I wanted to keep the whole piece simple, shabby, and elegant, and I think I accomplished it. And now I want to make myself a piece just like it! Ha! 

in between...

sicknesses, school programs, dental appointments, creative surges, laundry, sadness, celebrations, and everything else life has for us these days, we got to take a little time on Sunday afternoon to do one of our favorite things... decorate our tree!

i let the kiddos do it. i do the basics (the lights and such) and then let them go at it. i can have a "pretty" tree one day, but this is really the prettiest tree to me, even if all the ornaments are grouped together on one side. ;)

Halloween Overload

This is my gratuitous-my-kids-are-so-cute Halloween post.

But seriously. They are so cute.

Our trick or treating gang

Ariana- Little Red Riding Hood

Emerson- Cute Ghost

Sabriel- SpiderMAN

Atticus- Werewolf

Atticus & some of his best buds- Frankenstein, Russel, and Mr. Frederickson

Trick or treating in our downtown

Captain Hammer & Dr. Horrible

Cutest Mr. Frederickson I've ever seen. ;) 

Sweet cousins. 

CANDY!!!!

Such a great Halloween. :) I love it! 

A frame re-do

My friend Kari Ann is getting married next month. We are so excited for her and are much involved in this big celebration (um, I'm doing her wedding photography- EEEK- and the kids are all in the wedding. It will be an interesting day to say the least! Hee!) 

Last week, I made her and her fella a little gift for their home. 

I found this frame at a yard sale... it had this "beautiful" picture in it:

I took it out and was left with this gold frame. 

A little spray paint, some chicken wire, and some ribbon, and I turned it into this: 

The kids added their own banner to it too: 

They had some more frames like this at the yard sale, and I so wish I'd bought them all! 

My Cute Kids

This week the big kiddos had school pictures. I am too cheap to buy them and plus, they are SUPER tacky at our school, so I always opt to take a few pics at home that same day.

And, of course, the little girls wanted to get in on the action. Can you get a glimpse of their personalities in this pic? Ha!