Roundup

I didn't get to crop with the ladies this month, but I think I've made up for that these past two weeks! Here's what I've been up to. I have been feeling very creative and have gotten a lot of things crossed off my scrapping to-do list.

Michelle Godin is hosting the Random Challenge at Lily Pad this month and she challenge us to make a decorated journaling card or ATC. So I came up with this ATC based on a poster I saw on Pinterest and using Micheline Martin and Laura Banasiak's Way Rad from Lily Pad.

Ok, this might be gross but I think it's hilarious. That's Randi holding up a pig snout like a mask in an attempt to gross me out at Derek's bday party last year. Credits: Valorie Wibbens' Scrappy from the Lily Pad
Sahlin Studio's Washi Tape 2 from the Lily Pad.

Here's a two-pager I didn't post in the galleries because the phots aren't exactly family friendly! I finally scrapped the photos from my awesome barbecue last summer. Credits: The Tattered Pear's Smokin' Hot from the Lily Pad, Valorie Wibbens' Fireflies paper from the Lily Pad and Tape Up Vol 2 from One Story Down.

Some pictures of my crazy family! Credits: Funky Junky Family tree by Michelle Goodin, Kate Hadfield and Rachel Young at the Lily Pad.

I had some fun with camera apps at Taylor's bday party. Credits: Lauren Reid and The Hidden Heart's Make it Snappy from One Story Down

A shot from Strawberry Fields, which I took last summer. Credits: Shawna Clingerman's Time Stands Still and Intensit-he tape from Sweet Shoppe; Amy Wolff's 2:30 p.m. tape from The Lily Pad

Penny & Me! Credits: Emily Merritt and Gina Miller's My Life collab from The Lily Pad; Domesticated Lady's Type A Persnality Font from One Story Down 

I really love this page. I am so happy that Michelle is designing again and this page is inspired by her awesome papers but also by her super cool Blythe doll photos. I took this shot of Penny Jr. along with some pics of it with an LPS Blythe doll. Credits: Michelle Godin's Mixed Media Pink & Blue papers and Sloppy Stencil alpha from the Lily Pad and Painted Chevron papers; Kim Jensen's Springity Spring elements, Paint It White Alpha and Spell It Alpha beads from The Lily Pad; Sahlin Studio's Washi Tape Vol 2 and Anagram Alpha from The Lily Pad; CD Muckosky's Splattered Alphas from The Lily Pad; Amy Martin's Tiny Alpha; Heather Hess's The Dry Ribbon font from the Lily Pad; Lots of elements Love + Grace Collab from The Lily Pad

Here's one that I had on my to-do list for a long time. I love my little critters. I notice I have been really going through my Valorie stash lately. I really love her style. Credits: Valorie Wibben's Sewing 101, Scrappy paint and Love Muffin black solid from The Lily Pad; Amy Martin's Tiny Alpha from The Lily Pad; Sahlin Studio's Washi Tape 2 from The Lily Pad

There's a little bee in this sunflower. Credits: Amy Wolff's Hazy Day from The Lily Pad; Michelle Godin's Just My Type Alpha from The Lily Pad

Some pics of T at her bday party. Credits: The Doodle Queen's That Girl from One Story Down; Domesticated Lady's Type A Personality Font from One Story Down

And here's my favorite 9 year old. Credits: Kim Jensen's Girlfriend mini kit and alpha, Springity Spring elements, Zigged Zagged Paper Alpha; Amy Martin's April 2012 Template Challenge template

Hey, that's me!

I'm not the biggest fan of gallery spotlight type blogs, but I have to say I was really surprised to have been picked as a Gallery Standout for the first time! 

I have had this page in my head for some time and finally got around to scrapping it last weekend. Here's what Laura had to say about it! 

I feel like it's been a good week for my creativity, ok, and my ego! I got a really nice note from an editor in chief of one of the papers I work on. This was a very big project for them and they had a lot of changes through out the week -  so it was super nice to get some good feedback. Here's what the front page looked like...

Yay for me! :)  

Birthday partying

Taylor's birthday party was a pretty simple affair. It was just family. Mike grilled up some food. The kids ran around the yard and got pretty dirty. And then we had ice cream cake.

 Here's the 9 year old not wanting to go outside. She looks so grown up! I almost don't blame her - the new Avatar cartoons were on!

Derek was blowing "big bubbles" or at least trying too.  He got a lot of bubbles all over my clothes!

 Baby Glenn is getting so big! He's so cute. And single!

And Kylie was crazy as usual.

My favorite picture of Taylor at the party.

Time for cake.

And time for dirt!

I have to admit I was pretty bored but I kept myself entertained by playing with my new camera apps - Incredibooth and DoodleBooth.

So if you can turn boredom in to a scrapbook page, then I think it was worth it!
Credits: Lauren Reid & The Hidden Heart's Make it Snappy kit from One Story Down.

Three kinds of awesome

So my signature yellow Converse have seen better days. It's time to retire these and a few other pairs. So that meant getting new ones at the Converse outlet last weekend!

I know have new Chucks in black, purple and teal.

Oh yeah!!!

Round em up!

Yeah, I did a lot of scrapping this week! I am so lucky to work for some really great ladies - Kim Jensen, Michelle Godin, Emily Merritt, Amy Wolff, the One Story Down designers and Kate Hadfield this month - who have some fabulous new stuff for me to work with.  I have been feeling really inspired lately! 

Hanging out with Derek at Disney...

Credits::: Amy Wolff's Baggy Papers from The Lily Pad; Kim Jensen's Paint it White Alpha from Lily Pad and Crazy Cord Lines & Shapes coming soon to Lily Pad; Amy Martin's Tiny Alphas from Lily Pad; Kate Hadfield's When Knights Where Bold from Lily Pad; Valorie Brown's Lucky Me doily and staple from Lily Pad; Inspired by JanaM's My Smile LO for Lily Pad's Scraplift Challenge

The girls being silly waiting for a show at Disney...
Credits:Flutter Experssions' Simple Pleasure from One Story Down; Peeps & Milo's Typewriter Blunder Alpha from One Story Down

Some photos from my cousin's 21st birthday. The other photos aren't safe for galleries! Hee!
Credits: Michelle Godin's I Heart You papers, elements and mixed media papers & Just My Type alpha from Lily Pad; Rachel Young's Listen Up alpha from Lily Pad; Peeps & Milo's Wishy Washi tape from One Story Down

My pups being cute!
Credits::: Michelle Godin's Chasing Rainbows papers, Grungy Canvas elements, Sloppy Stencil alphas, Hand Carved Stamps, I heart you staple from the Lily Pad; Word strip by Shawna Clingerman

Randi and I took a little road trip on Saturday and we checked out Asbury Park. I loved it there. I felt like I was walking in a Bruce Springsteen song - when I told Randi that she wanted to punch me. She doesn't share my love of the Boss! I love how this page turned out!
Credits::: The Tattered Pear's Chaklet Coated Printerbox and Super Duper kit from One Story Down, This and That elements from The Lily Pad;  Fee Jardine's Button Bling from One Story Down; Sissy Sparrows' Retro Rulz elements from One Story Down; Domesticated Lady's Type A Personality font from One Story Down

Here's a page I did for the Lily Pad's Journaling Challenge. The theme was to write about what makes you you! 

Credits: Emily Merrit's Simple Scrap Templates No. 13, Graphed Papers, Life Right Now Journal Cards, D is for Dapper heart, ric rac and paint - all from the Lily Pad; Amy Wolff's Chelsea Market papers from the Lily Pad; Kim Jensen's Paint it White Alpha, Springity Spring Elements and Bloomin' Stuffed flowers from the Lily Pad

Michelle's rainbow background  made me think of this song!
Credits: Michelle Godin's Chasing Rainbows Mixed Media, Hand Carved Stamps, Grungy Canvas elements, I heart you elements from Lily Pad

And this page was inspired by a forum post at OSD that I started about typing. I hated typing glass in school, but it was probably the most useful thing I learned in school! I would goof off in class and write poems like my "Ode to Typing" instead of following the lesson!
Credits:::Michelle Goodin's I Heart You papers and elements, Just My Type Alpha, Hand Carved Stamps from Lily Pad

Nine

It's hard to believe but I have been an aunt now for 9 years! It's my niece Taylor's birthday today. I can't believe this little baby....

Now looks like this...

Oh man. She just got a new haircut with bangs. She looks so grown up.

We'll be celebrating later today!

Happy Easter!

We had a very low key Easter lunch here today. Grilled some food in the yard, watched the dogs play nice and then played some Wii. And I still had time for some reading, a nap and some scrapping!

I have been catching up on some Easter scrapping from the last few years lately.

Here a photo I took of Mom & Randi last year, which I just love!  Credits: Kim Jensen's Dotrageous papers, Zigzaged Paper Alphas, Bloomin' Stuffed flowers and Bloomin' Egg-cellent flowers from Lily Pad; Amy Wolff's Chelsea Market papers and Jot It Down Vol 3 tags from the Lily Pad

The kids playing Pin the Tail on the Bunny. Credits: Kim Jensen and Kate Hadfield's Springity Spring collab from The Lily Pad; Kate Hadfield's Egg Hunting from The Lily Pad; Domesticated Lady's Type A Personality Font from One Story Down

 Rocky having some fun in the outdoors. Credits: Tracy Martin's Meadow Daydream from One Story Down; Peeps & Milo Up the Woods Alpha from One Story Down

 This week I've been obsessed with Life's A Happy Song. I can't get it out of my head and I like that! I've been playing the Muppets soundtrack in the shower to help me wake up! I was inspired to scrap this page by two grand opening challenges at One Story Down - a Fashion Show template challenge and an All About Me Challenge about things your loving right now.
Credits: Sissy Sparrows' Hip Hip Hooray Papers and Elements from One Story Down; Buttons from the Tell Me A Story Collab at One Story Down;  Domesticated Lady's Type A Personality font from One Story Down; Fashion Show template by Denise Beatty from One Story Down;  CD Muckosky's Spattered alpha from The Lily Pad

And this is my page for this month's Girl Vs. Scrap challenge at One Story Down. I am seriously amazed by all the new things that spring brings everyday.
Credits:The Doodle Queen's Swirly Swirls, Tiny Buttons and Tiny Thingy Alpha Vol 2 from One Story Down; Fee Jardine's Bob & Colin Alpha from One Story Down; Lauren Reid's and Snips N Snails papers and Peeps & Milo's tab from Tell Me A Story Collab at One Story Down

And I was so excited to get a message from Michelle Godin asking me if I'd like to be a part of her team again because she's making her comeback as a guest designer at The Lily Pad! I love Michelle's style and her new kits are just so unique. It looks like she has a fun time making a mess when she creates!
I wanted to scrap a page about Taylor and how she wants to grow up badly. She's going to be nine very soon!

Credits: Michelle Godin's Sew Artsy Papers and Journal Cards and Sloppy Stencil Alphas from The Lily Pad and Hand Carved Stamps and I love you elements coming soon to TLP

Bruce x 4

On Tuesday night, I got to see Bruce Springsteen for the fourth time! I had such a blast. It wasn't my favorite show - but it was still pretty cool! The band was so big and loud and rockin. There was a good mix of classics and a little bit of the new stuff. And, there were some very touching moments in tribute to the Big Man, Clarence Clemons, who died last year.

My friend Tony and I got to the arena around 5 for some tailgaiting. We had lots of beers and a grill. Tony knows how to get ready for a concert - which is party of the reason I wanted to go with him. The other reason is he's also a big fan and I wanted to go with someone who would know all the songs as well as I did for a change! The weather was gorgeous and we made some friends out in the lot. Springsteen fans are all pretty cool. We all chatted about our favorite songs and shows and being from Jersey! I ran into one of my old co-workers about a row over from us.

 Here we are feeling kind of blurry! 

I work with this guitar! 

The show didn't start until 8:30 - I think it was just under 3 hours in all. We were up pretty high, but had a good view on the side of the stage. These were some of my favorite moments:

- During My City of Ruins (which is about the town where I now work!), Bruce did his band intro and still did that "Do I have to say his name" in honor of Clarence. He said something like - you're here and we're here and the music's here so he's here. The crowd was insane and I know I had tears in my eyes!

- E Street Shuffle was a super cool surprise! I love the really old stuff and I don't think I've heard this one live.

- Apollo Medley. I wonder if my friend Krista knows which songs he did in this bit. Bruce came out to the middle of the stage and sang some great oldies. He also chugged a beer from the audience and crowd surfed back to the stage. He is one rockin' 60 year old. (**I found out what those songs were!)

- The guy in front of us kept us entertained by performing interpretive hand gestures to every single lyric. It was insane.

- Because the Night is one of my favorite karaoke songs to sing with my friend Dean, who was somewhere in the rows below us. Loved hearing that live!

- Tenth Avenue Freeze Out. Right before "And the big man joined the band" Bruce said here comes the important part and took a big pause. The whole place was screaming. He looked like he was mouthing "I pray" and like he was going to cry before he continued on with the song. It was amazing!

During the encore

This was the set list. I like Wrecking Ball, but not all of the new album stuff, but there were lots of other good ones.

We Take Care of Our Own
Wrecking Ball
Badlands
Death to My Hometown
My City of Ruins
So Young and In Love
E Street Shuffle
Jack of All Trades
Seeds
Prove It All Night
Easy Money
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Apollo Medley (The Way You Do The Things You Do/634-5789)
American Skin (41 Shots)
Because the Night
The Rising
We Are Alive
Thunder Road
* * *
Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore) **** Probably my least favorite song on any Bruce album.
Out in the Street
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
Land of Hope and Dreams
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out