template love.

so my sweet friend crystal, asked me to try out her new templates.

you know me, I kinda love crystal, and I kinda love everything she makes, so it really wasn’t hard to say yes.

I used three different templates, from two different packs.

what do I love about them? well, let’s just make it easier and list what I don’t love about them.

(insert crickets chirping here.)

see for yourself:

this is from template pack #1, and perfect to showcase some of my favorite pix from our recent lagoon trip.

I love the white background, but also the option the template gives to change that up whichever way I choose. I love to have the pop of color on the very background, but still have the clean feel of the white behind my pictures.

I used pebbles “seen & noted” paper and elements to tie this all together.

and that stitching.. perfect to pin down all of those little tid-bits.

crystal has made this so super easy, with all the shadows and overlays, even the stitching pre-set (but with the option to turn those layers off if you are not in the mood).

I love this picture, and decided that while it will definitely hold a spot in my weekly project life layout, it deserves a page of it’s own..

I used a template from template pack #4 and “chasing rainbows” paper and elements from dani mogstad. perfect to express that feel of blissful childhood I so totally see in this picture.

this was easily one of the happiest days of our summer so far..

my sister-in-law came home from her 18 month mission to nashville, tennessee!!

(totally deserves to be documented..)

I used another template from template pack #4 (guess you could say it’s my favorite pack? maybe?..) and LDS missionary sister edition from becky higgins project life designed by kimberly church.

I am so completely happy with how easy (and quick!!) these were to use.

now if you have been scrolling through, checking out what these babies have to offer, maybe even clicking on the links, following them to the stores where you can purchase them from, well, I have some completely awesome news for you..

and it really isn’t my news, it’s crystal’s news, I just get to spread it!!!.. and we all know that I am so incredibly good at that…

she is offering a 50% off coupon to purchase her templates here.

just enter the code CWTEMP50 at checkout before june 22nd.

want more eye candy? check out her blog and what she did with a layout a day with these awesome templates.

weeks five + six: strawberry edition

even though we didn’t get much snow this year, it was still winter at the pitcher house.
and how do I know this?
1) I had the uncontrollable itch to re-arrange, re-decorate, and just shake things up in general around the house.

we moved the two youngest upstairs in the loft area, moved their tv room downstairs, and my studio from the basement up to peyton’s old room on the main level. the hopes are that now, every little girl in the house will sleep through the night (I know, 11, 9, and 6.. they got on a fear kick in october, and it still isn’t over), and the other hope is that I will get some of my fun stuff done. it’s not fun going down to the basement alone. where no one else is. to work. where it was not motivating.

(my studio is still a work in progress.. but it is progressing.)

we were also tv starts for a second on a local show, studio 5.

(link to segment here.)

my nephew was baptized.

we enjoyed too much sweet stuff on superbowl sunday (but seriously, that is what the superbowl is all about..).

took a trip to the natural history museum of utah, which was AWESOME and totally AMAZING, and WE WILL be going back. there was so much incredible stuff to see, and we didn’t even get close to seeing it all.

the last little bit is a homework sheet from peyton’s homework packet. I LOVE the phonetic spelling.. her favorite season: summer. things you wear in summer: “swimsoot”. I LOVE this!

and 2) three pictures from this particular week have to do with different people being ill.
seriously.
the ONLY thing I hate (absolutely HATE!!!) about winter.

lynn participated in her first science fair. we tested gum. our jaws are still recovering.

(but 5 gum is the best, in case you are curious.)

took ash to the doctor for what I suspected was strep. it was just a virus (which = a wasted co-pay).

took peyton in to the instacare the next day, for the flu.

wick girls = drama + emotion. this was a quiet moment.

got some sweet thank you gifts from teresa hunsaker for the studio 5 segment. she is SUCH a SWEETHEART!!

this is peyton’s fever.. back again.

took lynn to the 5th grade maturation program and traditional ice cream and “ask me anything you want” afterward.

page 1 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

kraft paper and paint brush from liv.edesigns

number 5 from sarah gleason

staples from dani mogstad

paper heart from amy tangerine

stitches from crystal wilkerson

page 2 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

staples from dani mogstad

stitched heart from crystal wilkerson

arrow from clementine edition project life

fonts:

“week” bebas

“six” lobster two

journaling and dates done in frenchy

new release fun.

our family has started the habit of hiking. 

we have lofty goals of reaching ben lomond’s peak (15-ish miles, 9712 feet high) by summer’s end, so that means we have conditioning.

but we are having a blast while we are at it.

liv’s latest two releases are perfect for pictures from these activities, but, well, I had to do one of peyton. 

this girl asked me (like, she actually requested) to curl her hair one sunday morning.  she just looked so angelic.  I asked her to sit near the back door where I had some decent light streaming in and snapped a few of her.

this one uses liv’s latest “woodoodled” papers, and other goodies from her.

(click on layout for list of full credits.)

here’s liv’s “wooded” papers, see how perfect this works with all of our outdoors/hiking pix?

another new fun release is happening today at ac digitals:

“rad dad”

this is project life’s newest installment out just in time for father’s day and is on sale at 20% off!

so I am awesome (hence the new hashtag on instagram #suckyprocrastinator) and just got last year’s father’s day scrapped… 

what can I do…

(I would like to claim that it was waiting for this project life kit…)

#rationalization

also on this page:

liv’s cardstock

anna aspnes stitching

crystal wilkerson’s little “x” stitches

ali edwards heart (masked with liv’s cardstock)

and none of this would be possible without becky’s project life template “f”.

seeing double.

sometimes, creativity urges changes in more places than just one.

as I was playing with amy tangerine’s newest collection “yes please”, I was getting the itch to spring clean the blog and make things pretty.

funny how just a few tweaks to a layout can turn out to be a fun new header!

this spur of creative energy (also brought to you by a couple of extra minutes I was able to rub together..), has me desiring some fun new candid pix of the girls.

well, as soon as lynn gets over strep.

blah.

(my 2013 tax folder is fatter than it should be.  hello deductions!)

anyway, in case you didn’t notice the above newness, here you go:

papers, border bits, camera, arrow elements, stitched heart circle, and brushes for the hearts, arrow, and “wonderful” from ac digitals amy tangerine “yes please”.

paint brushes, kraft tape, frame, staple, and washi tape from liv.edesigns.

“x” stitches from crystal wilkerson.

circle stitches from anna aspnes.

lace (with a hue/saturation adjustment) from kitschy digitals.

only one more day of school left!!

freeeeeedoommmmmm!!!!

(yell it like william wallace..)

our plans for this summer currently consist of:

- keeping in the habit of a decent bedtime, and me (ahem..) getting up early.

- going to the library a lot.

- read-a-thons and treats.

- living by the pool in the sun.

- buying lots of sunscreen.

- washing loads of towels.

- playing in our almost totally fun and finished back yard.

- hiking.

- playing as a family every chance we get.

- quitting the whole pop thing..  and I will be sure to quit at least 6 times a week.

lucky charm

I have been holding onto this layout since november!!!

do you have any idea how hard it is to have something so fun, so wonderful, that you are dying to share it, but can’t?

welp, that has been me.

more than a little happy that this collection is finally  being released today!!

dear lizzy:  “lucky charm”

and guess what?  13 (yes, thirteen years as of last friday..) this ^^^ is still my happy place.

credits:

papers and embellishments- dear lizzy “lucky charm”

frame- liv.edesigns

staple and x stitch- crystal wilkerson

torn cardboard- katie pertiet

torn edge and stitching- anna aspnes

goodies from AC digitals.

march was not my friend.

march was crazy.

I am glad it is april!

new goodies from AC digitals:

Becky Higgins project life “seasons” mini-

other goodies used:

stitching from anna aspnes.

colored stitches, brown bag paper, and paint brush from liv.edesigns.

metal letters and hearts from karla dudley.

font: “pablo”.

also new today from american crafts, “hello sunshine”.

other goodies used:

paint brush from liv.edesigns.

staples and letters for “so” from design by dani.

cute little pink stitches from crystal wilkerson.

font: “pablo”.

and for fun..

pebbles “seen & noted”.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

staples from design by dani.

font: “my type of font”.

 

another just for fun one.

I snapped this picture yesterday as my pic of the day.  I am so happy it is finally sandal weather!!

(until next week..  this is what living in utah is like.)

can’t wait for greener grass.

pebbles “walnut grove”.

doily stamp from pebbles “country picnic”.

staple from design by dani.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

font: “my type of font”.

I am ready for april..  I think.

not a pity party.

just a list of excuses for why I am behind two days. :/

merrill has a bad sinus infection, and by “bad” I mean horrendous. 

he started feeling it the end of last week, and by saturday, he was ready to go to the doctor. (!!!!!)  really.  this guy, asking to go to the doctor?  it MUST be bad.

too bad for him, the instacare had closed, he got to wait until the next morning.

two antibiotics, a prescription for loritab in hand, the kid was still struggling.

we have tried EVERYTHING.  by everything I mean EVERYTHING..  well, except for this one drink I found on pinterest.  we are not brave enough to try that.

(for the curious:  water, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, honey, and lemon.  in my experience, ingesting apple cider vinegar ends in vomit.)

we have tried just about every decongestant, steam, oils, reflexology, moist+heated washcloths, then graduated to a rice bag that we have been spritzing and heating.  the loritab didn’t help.  we have already gone through a bottle of advil.  neither of us have gotten a full night of sleep since…  thursday?

it’s awesome.

I really can’t stand to see him so sick.

but, I have accomplished a few things, and as time (and my new nursing schedule permit) I will post all of my accomplishments and fun finds.

for now, here’s two layouts brought to you by the goodness at AC Digitals.

first up is new product, “Dear Lizzy Spring”.

(you can get it on sale this week!)

other goodies on this page:

stitching- anna aspnes
frame- liv.edesigns
photo corner- splendid fiins
background paper- amy tangerine “ready set go”

 

this loveliness is from crate paper “fourteen”.

 

I had to laugh at myself while saving off this layout.  I have a lot (A LOT) of layouts titled “sisters”.

that’s what I get for having 3 girls.

also used on this page:

stitching- anna aspnes

buttons- crystal wilkerson

paint brush and brown paper for the letters- liv.edesigns

font- “burvetica thick nc”

floral lane and sketchbook

two of the newest additions to the ac digitals store today!!

first up:  pebbles “floral lane”.

so sweet and girly…

other goodies used:

brown bag paper:  liv.edesigns

yellow stitching (also adjusted to white for the buttons):  liv.edesigns

(with a hue/saturation adjustment to perk up the yellow a bit.)

white heart:  karla dudley

white stitching:  anna aspnes

buttons, epoxy hearts, and ric-rac:  dani mogstad

staple:  crystal wilkerson

font:  “firefly castle”

 

and here’s amy tangerine’s “sketchbook”.

I find it funny, that before I even signed on with ac digitals, I bought some of these goodies in the traditional form…  I knew I loved them before they were even digi!!

stitching:  anna aspnes

turquoise splatter brush, frame, and staple:  liv.edesigns

green misting brush:  splendid fiins

 

I have a certain 5 year old not feeling so hot today.

our day looks like laundry, some cleaning, and finishing up my new magnetic+chalk board wall.

(review on that fun to come soon.)

I am hoping to get to my craft room today, not only to craft, to clean, hopefully to start the chalkboard (notice the absence of magnet there?) and to play.  I found some heidi swapp goodies at michaels last week, I have been itching to play with them for DAYS.

monday’s aren’t all that bad…

so I propose that we start this week off with some excitement!!
what do you think?
good, glad you agree.
I am not sure if it can get any more exciting than this little tidbit.
(and by “little tidbit”, I really mean HUGE AWESOME MOST EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT EVER!!!)

let me preface this by stating the fact that I own a few (ahem..) books of darling american crafts rub-ons.  I bought them by twos.  my fault for naming my kids what I did.  they all have letters in common, I need the rub-ons!! 

(yes, rub-ons are still relevant in my book..)
I also have a little stash of american crafts paper..  don’t judge the stuff that is old, and I just haven’t found a project “worthy” enough to use it on.

let’s not discuss the spools (capital S belongs on the end of that doosy) of ribbon I own. 

yowsa.  only three spools on those top two sections aren’t american crafts….
so it was kinda sorta a match made in heaven when I got an email (most exciting one in a long time) inviting me (ME!!!) to be on the american crafts creative team.
you heard me right. 
american crafts.
as of today, they have a site where you, lucky, lucky little you, can go and buy your favorite traditional goodies, digitized!!!

what do I mean by favorite goodies?
think:  becky higgins project life, american crafts, crate paper, pebbles, amy tan!!!
hop on over, sign up for the email list, grab a freebie,  buy stuff at 25% off, and have a chance at winning some AWESOME stuff!!
I have had the fun of playing with some of these products in advance…

here's one with the amy tangerine's "ready set go" kit.
(other elements: stitching- anna aspnes; "x" stitches and staples- crystal wilkerson; frame- kitschy digitals.)
a happy  monday indeed!!

the end of november, really?

it’s is hard for me to believe that november is pretty much over.  I mean, it went by so fast!  it helped that I was a single mother for nearly half of it.  those were days that I prayed would pass quickly.

so here we are, at the end of the thankful train.  not sure I got out all that I was thankful for, I know I didn’t post every day like I wanted to.  but hey, there is always next year, right?

I am thankful for the gifts and talents I have been blessed with.  there are many things I enjoy doing, and most of those things are to the credit of others teaching me how to do them.  I am thankful for many creative people in an inspirational world, who share, teach, and inspire me daily.

here’s a couple of layouts with products from some pretty amazing talented women.

(click on images for full credits.)

so if you love what you see, there is a pretty amazing sale going on at jessica sprague.  save up to 35% on product and 20% on classes (even the new ones)!!  they would make some pretty fun gifts..  for you or someone you love.

not to mention a FREE holiday class.  she does this every year!  how sweet..  it starts monday, so go register!

(click here to register.)

now go tell your friends!

“pin”spiration.

so let me tell you how pinterest snagged me and hasn’t quite eased up.
a lot of my friends out there (you better know who you are..) have been talking all about it, saying how great it is, yadda yadda yadda.
knowing how I am, a rebel to all that is popular, I ignored it.  for a while.
you see, I had a routine for saving all those things that I found around the internet and blogs that I loved, and dreamed of making, that just wasn’t working out as well as it had been.
I began saving images in my picture file on my computer.  (good.)
my sister-in-law told me of a genius idea to put those things in their own folder on my computer, labeled, what else: “ideas”.  (better!)
but then there arose the issue of me not remembering exactly where I got the idea from.  (instructions are very important things at times.)  oh sure, I usually knew where I got the idea from, sometimes there was a watermark on the image, but to sift through hundreds of blog posts, sometimes months after I came across the idea, was a major time waster.
so I tried to save all the ideas I liked in my bookmarks folder.
until merrill made fun of me.
and really, before he mocked me, it really wasn’t working.  there were vague descriptors of what that bookmark was marking, no image, and the were forgotten.
enter pinterest.
I looked into it, and it made total sense.  it solved all of my problems in that, I could save the picture AND the link to where the idea was found.  no searching and pulling my hair out trying to find the original source!!
oh, but that is not all..
it does more!
I can sort all of my “pins” into neat little categories or boards (something that I am still trying to perfect).  so all my halloween stuff is on one board and christmas gets its own area.  photography ideas don’t mingle with recipes..  it’s order, not chaos anymore!!
I also love that I can follow people whose style I admire, people who have crazy ingenuity and creativity.
I am totally addicted.
(I have also found new blogs to stalk..)
so out of my love of pinning, and creating my own version of others ideas, I am officially coining the new word: “pinspiration”.
I saw this:
(click on image for source.)

and I LOVED it!!!
(it is so me, and a few others I know..)
I took the idea, tweaked it a bit, and came up with this:
(click on the image for full list of credits.)

I can see that this is going to be a long, beautiful relationship!

and then there was august..

I don’t want to depress you..  I don’t want to depress myself, but did you know, were you aware, that august is almost over?

really.

next week, and that’s it.

hello september.

see, I depressed you.

shame on me.

I really am sorry.

maybe what I have been working on, catching up on (because I’ve been enjoying the last bit of my summer and playing a lot), will help to cheer you.

they just make me long for summer…

(click on image for list of full credits + links.)

a layout or 5..

I have been getting a lot of scrapping done.

(sadly it is all digi scrapping..  heaven knows how many pictures i have that are printed off, waiting in the mess that is now known as my craft room in the basement..  don’t even get me started on the stash of supplies that keep those pics company..)

I am not sure if this surge of digi scrapping is because of the re-discovered passion my girls have for playing polly pockets or  for watching jurassic park.

(both of which seem to take place in the loft, upstairs where the computer is..)

but anyway..  here’s a few:

(as always, click on layout for list of full credits.)

new today:

“chemistry” by cosmo cricket:

and i was way too excited about these brushes by liv:

and well, then there is all of this other stuff, that was basically just for fun…  our summer has been well-spent, and i have some cute pix to prove it!

(cute pix = more scrapping motivation!!)

hope you are enjoying your summer as well!!

let the countdown begin!!

i am one of those kind of moms..
the kind that would rather have her kids home more than anything!
i sincerely look forward to summer..  this year we are counting down in style.

got kinda crafty (despite the fact that i am currently homeless, craftroom type homeless, that is..) and made these.
i used crystal wilkerson’s “sweet summertime” papers, mod-podge, acrylic paint, my trusty sander, some contact paper and black vinyl, and my cricut (doodletype font), and these wood blocks (that heaven knows i have plenty of..).
(see all those cute papers?)

i sanded my blocks pretty darn good, if i do say so myself, and then gave them just a coat of white acrylic paint.  while that was drying, i cut my papers and rounded all the corners.  those got mod-podged on the blocks and then top-coated with more mod-podge after they dried. 
i used the contact paper as a stencil after i cut out the numbers with the cricut.  i spaced between each number and then used my rotary cutter (think my fabric rotary cutter..  sooo easy!) while the contact paper was still on my cutting sheet to separate the numbers.  peel, stick, and paint!  i did find, after doing one set with the foam brush, that it is best to use a little paint on the brush and then a scrunched-up paper towel to pounce the paint around where you need it.  it ends up looking aged and not so bold.
one block gets 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on it and the other gets 0, 1, 2, 6 (which upside-down works as your 9), 7 and 8.
the lettering was a bit too tricky at 3/4 inch to use as a stencil, so i just cut out vinyl and stuck it down.
i top-coated it all with more mod-podge and let it dry.
then i sanded some more..  i like that distressed look.  they looked perfectly cute the way they were, and they could be left that way if you want. 
but i sanded more, roughed them up real good.  then i brushed them off, and mod-podged another protective coat.
i love mine…
and well, if there is a day this summer break when my kids drive me nuts, like to the breaking point..  i can let them all know how i feel by flipping them around…
  :D
p.s. there are some great deals happening over at jessica sprague..  a sale starting today and going through sunday for insd (international scrapbooking day) all scrapbooking supplies are 25% off.  if you spend $20 or more, there is an additional 10% off!!  and then there’s one that will last the whole month of may (hello!!  birthday month there!!).  buy one item, and get one of equal or lesser value (from the same designer, no mixing and matching) for freee!!!
see, go have fun..

hello spring!!!

well, at least i think it is…

i had to make myself a reminder of what season it is supposed to be, last week, while it was snowing.

it has done it’s job sufficiently, for those who are literate in this house.

pretty cheerful, eh?

i used crystal wilkerson’s june 2009 papers to make this, along with my trimmer, scoring board (freaking love that thing), twine, gluedots, scissors, my scalloped border punch, and some ribbon.

as for the fonts:  lobster on the banner, bebas on the little “hello” banner.

as for the pom-pom garland…

that was some inspiration gained from watching studio 5 (a local lifestyle show) and a segment from diy dish. 

styrofoam, fun yarn, twine, and a yarn needle, and there you have it!