My Fave Things Layout.

One more layout to share ... I made this one this past weekend too. It's all about Griffin's favorite things.

When I was at the scrapbook store on Saturday, I saw some K&Company stickers with airplanes, helicopters, cars, buses and tractors. The first thing that popped into my mind was "gosh, those are all of Griffin's favorite things". So, I got them and was inspired to create this page.

But the truth is ... I'm not sure that I really like the stickers on the page or not. Maybe you can help me decide ...


Here's the layout WITHOUT stickers ... well, okay ... this one has ONE helicopter sticker on it.


And the exact same layout WITH the stickers ... in addition to the helicopter sticker, it has an airplane, a tractor and a car.

Which way do you like the best with the stickers or without??


I had this circle paper in my stash and I wanted to use it for the page. It was really kind of busy, so I thought I needed to find a way to take away from the busy-ness. I decided to make a top and bottom border with a teal colored paper. Then I punched out circles with my handy circle punch from papers the same colors as the circles on the patterned paper. Finally, I decided to make little tags and write what his favorite things are ... and I used punched circles to kind of anchor them on the page.

I went back and forth (I do that alot when scrapping) about the title.

My ideas were:
G's fave things
his fave things
my fave things

Obviously "my fave things" won out.


I also had this fun little boy circle die cut in my stash and it fit right in with the circle theme and it matched! So ... I used it ... and I think it fits well on the layout.

Mike and I are celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary today! We are going out to dinner tonight, I'm just not sure where. Griffin woke up with a cold (congested nose and coughing) ... so we are staying home today. Hopefully he will feel better tonight so we can go out to dinner.

And just a note ... my sister Joy is having gall bladder surgery today. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. It's an out-patient procedure and hopefully she will be well on her way to recovery tonight at home. I love you Joy.

Another New Layout.

Yesterday I took the time to make another layout.

I've been wanting to scrap these particular pictures for a REALLY long time! I am so, so happy with the way this turned out.

For some reason, the images look blurrier than normal when I posted them ... so please click on the image for a bigger, more clear view if you are interested! I'd love for you to see the detail!


There's a funny story behind these pictures. To get the idea, just look at the pictures and read the tagged captions from left to right as if you were reading a book. I was cooking one day and had chopped up some onions for the recipe. Griffin was "helping" me and thought the onions looked yummy and sweet. I kept telling him they were not sweet, they were hot. But the wonderful mommy that I am ... well, I let him decide for himself.


A close-up of the left side of the layout ...


And a close-up of the right side of the layout ...


I wanted to incorporate something onion-y looking on the page ... so I made these onions with different sizes of circles and Tim Holtz Distress Ink. I love that ink! I use it on practically every page I make these days.


Another close up look ...


I decided to add the black/white gingham ribbon ... I don't know ... do you think it gives it a "kitchen-y" feel to the page? And here, you can see another close up of one of the onions I paper pieced.


And this is a close up of one of the tags. I decided to use my own handwriting (I think it's SO important to do this!). I think they kind of look like little menus. And the round thing at the top ... well, those are supposed to be mini onions.

I tell you ... I am having ALOT of fun scrapbooking. I forgot how much fun and relaxing it is! Now ... I just have to find the time to do some more personal scrapbooking for "me" ... and get back to work making things for my online store Missy Made It!

Life Is Good.

(Children's Museum of Richmond ~ Friday ~ April 4, 2008)

Some of my fellow bloggers have started adding cute/funny things their children say to their blog. Wow ... this is a great way to remember these sweet, funny and cute things that come out of their mouths. So, guess what? I'm following suit.

Yesterday we were getting ready to go to Sam's Club:

Mommy: Griffin let's get ready ... we are going to Sam's.

Griffin: Wanna see Car-wol ...

Mommy (trying to figure out where this is going): No, Buddy ... we are going to Sam's

Griffin: I wanna go to Sam's house ... wanna see Car-wol ...

LOL ... he thought we were going to his buddy Sam's house and he wanted to see Sam's Mommy Carol (he loves her!). I thought that was pretty cute.

And ... I must say ... I was presently surprised when I woke up this morning to ...
"Happy Anniversary ... I Love You" from my dear sweet husband. You see, today is our 23 year anniversary. Twenty three years ago today we went to our high school prom (you've all seen the picture MANY times!). We started dating a few weeks before prom, but decided that April 6th would be our anniversary date. Our wedding anniversary is Tuesday (April 8th) ... we'll be married 13 years.

Those five little words meant the world to me today. I didn't know if he would remember. He did. I love you sweetheart!!

Strawberry Picking Layout.

Look ... I made another page last night. This time a two-page spread!

After dinner, I did something that I've never done before. Instead of going in the living room with Mike and Griffin, I left the boys to themselves and I went into the dining room to scrapbook. It felt really good to do something that I wanted to do. And Griffin and Daddy enjoyed some alone time.


Last Mother's Day we went to Chesterfield Berry Farm to pick strawberries. I had a ton of pictures I wanted to add to the page, so I decided to make a two-page spread.


I wanted to make the page as "boyish" as possible ... but then I put the green gingham ribbon on there and decided I would go more "countryish".


This was such a FUN day ... Griffin's first day at the strawberry patch ... and mine too!


I paper pieced this little barrel using my Cricut and the strawberries were made using a Quickutz die. I love those two tools!


And I also paper pieced this little tag. It's made using one of my Accucut tag dies, and my Quickutz strawberry and grass dies.

I'm thinking about going to the scrapbook store today. I went through a few of my 1,000s of pictures last night and pulled out some that I want to scrapbook.

Boyhood.

I am SO happy ...
So happy in fact that I'm doing a little happy dance!

Wonder why I'm so happy? Well ... today I completed a scrapbook page of Griffin. It's been a really, really, REALLY long time since I've sat down and made something for ME.

I spent TWO HOURS on this page ... isn't that ridiculous? After looking at it again ... I wonder to myself WHY on earth did it take me TWO HOURS to complete it? Maybe it's because I was trying to choose just the right colors, just the right positioning ... oh I don't know why ... but it DID take me TWO HOURS!

Okay ... so ... will you have a look?


This is it ... my completed scrapbook page. I used the title Boyhood because really, when I look at these pictures I'm reminded how very little time we actually have to enjoy this sweet boyhood stage. If interested you can click on the picture for a much larger view.


I think it's SO important to use your own handwriting when scrapbooking. Even though my handwriting is not that great ... I still hand write everything. I guess this is very close to my heart because I have absolutely nothing with my mother's handwriting on it. What I wouldn't give for one tiny little thing with her signature on it, or her words written with her hand? I want Griffin to have part of "me" with his scrapbook. What could be more personal then your own handwriting?


I went back and forth about putting this phrase on the page. I really liked the saying ... but I don't know ... I didn't know if it really matched or fit with everything else. But in the end ... I decided it did fit.

Okay ... so ... thank you for letting me share my little bit of creative joy with you today. Right this very minute, I'm feeling a little bit warm and tingly inside.

Carefree Day.

So ... it's Friday ... it's rainy and 40 degrees outside. We are going to the Children's Museum today. I consider us lucky to have a place like this to go to on days like this.


I so wish it were warmer outside ... we could go to the park! I just love this picture of Griffin running across one of the baseball fields down there. It just looks so carefree ... hence the carefree day post. If the picture looks a little blurry here, just click on it for a better, clearer view.


And this one ... he picked me a flower the other day. It just warmed my heart. I love our little guy. He's really been into saying "Mommy I Love You" and "Daddy I Love You" alot lately. He's so happy to have Mike home ... it's just a different environment when Mike is home and not away on business.

It's just the way it's supposed to be.


Okay ... so I've really not been very creative lately. Sometimes I'm full of creative energy, with alot of new ideas ... but the past few weeks ... not so much. I finally sat down yesterday and created this Sweet Strawberry Tear Bear. I feel the creative energy s-l-o-w-l-y coming back ... thank goodness!!

If interested ... you can find this (and a few others) in MY EBAY STORE!

I hope you all have a nice, warm, fun and adventureous weekend!!

D & G

Yesterday my friend Keisha had an appointment, so we invited Darius to join us at playtime. The boys had SO much fun playing and creating art!


The boys enter the building ...


We left our mark to let everyone know we were there!


Evan, Griffin and Darius having fun on the mats!


Ms. Joanna, Evan (legs peaking), Mrs. Broxson, Griffin and Darius golf ball painting


Darius goofing with silly "golf ball" eyes


The masterpieces in progress ...


Amazing artwork made by amazing boys!!!


And another form of golf ball painting ....


Griffin, Darius, Evan and Mrs. Broxson in full-on creative mode!


Golf ball painting is FUN!!!

And a note for Andi & Cecile ... yes, Griffin received his very own Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner from the Easter Bunny. It's a "toy" ... but it really works!! He LOVES it!

Road Trip To NC.

Mike has been traveling ALOT lately, so when he suggested that Griffin and I should pack our bags and head to Charlotte, NC with him ... we were raring to go! We packed our bags, got in the van and we were headed off for an adventurous road trip.


I love this picture of Griffin. Daddy was singing a song to him and he was in that "oh-you-are-singing-to-me-and-looking-at-me-so-I'm-gonna-be-embarrased-phase".


See ... this is proof that Daddy was singing. Mike has a great singing voice ... hopefully that is something Griffin will inherit from him ... as I can not carry a tune to save my life!


Yummy pancakes for breakfast!!


And it's time to blow dry our hair ...


Packing up to leave ... Griffin loves riding on these carts. And his "job" while we are away is pushing the elevator buttons each time we need to travel up and down the floors.

E A S T E R

Okay ... so it's been awhile and I wasn't sure if I was going to "go back" and blog about certain things that have happened ... but I just have to blog about Easter!


Woo Hoo ... the Easter Bunny arrived at our house and Griffin received many fun surprises!


Griffin coloring Easter Eggs with Nana Jeri as Aunt Melissa, Uncle Kevin and cousin AJ look on.


And here comes Daddy to help with the Easter Egg coloring


Our eggs are all colored ... so ... now it's time to decorate 'em!


Pop and Griffin decorating the eggs with stickers, crayons and fun stuff!


A picture of Mike with our guests ... Griffin was napping and I was taking the picture ... too bad I couldn't have asked a neighbor to snap this photo with all of us in it. It was so nice to have family with us on this special day!!!