A Friendly Visit of the Neighborly Type

This past weekend our home was graced with the presence of our dear friends and former next door neighbors; the "McB" family. Complete with a set of twins who are nearly two.
It was so awesome to see the whole family (last year we just saw Jan and the twins). So wonderful to reconnect. To catch up. And, as it always goes with genuine, authentic friendships, it was just as though we had never moved away from them (nearly 8 years ago now). It was just as though they had just walked the few paces over from their house. Except in reality, it was several hundred miles. The conversation. Flowing. The topics. Many. The laughter. Endless. Much of the laughter a result of two rambunctious two years old replying upon questioning of whether they had been "good boys today" with impish "NoooooOOOs". We couldn't stop chuckling over that one.

Anyway, here are a few photos from my weekend lens:

And this youngest boy of mine? He is such a helper. He is such a gentle soul to those younger than him. Always picking up, looking after, mentoring and nurturing. Going to make a great dad one day lonnnnnng down the road. Where is a pic of my oldest you ask? He was at our church youth group retreat, growing in his faith and connecting with others finding their way.

Precious times. Precious boys. Precious friendship.  Grateful for the time and the memories.  :)
Be back soon with some recent creations.

A Few Layouts I Completed Today

Love the current doily trend (as well as triangles) so thought I'd implement them both in one layout. I like the challenge of finding ways to incorporate more feminine papers onto "boy" layouts. It's kinda fun to see it all come together.

And here is a more traditional "boy" layout with some Sasparilla flyers (adore), some stars, and some woodgrain too.

Both of these pics are from 2002 and taken with my first digital (non DSLR) camera. So grateful technology is constantly improving-lol.

Happy Fat Tuesday peeps!

A Simple Mini

I managed to get a bit of scrap time in this weekend. Here is a little lovely that I created to capture and document my year in review 2011, the highs and the lows, the happiness, the tears. As many of you know 2011 was a tragically defining year for me and for my family. Scrapbooking has been a therapeutic treatment to my grief. I'm grateful for such a wonderful hobby that allows me just the outlet I need. I'm sure I am not alone here on this topic. On to the album...

 I created it with Simple Stories fabulous Year-o-graphy line. I loved how quickly it came together...well...quite simply. :)

I may add a few ribbons to the book ring, but kinda like the simple look.

                             

                               This mini has been removed for Publication and will be back later. :)

   

                               

    

   

  

  

                               The back cover:

                           
and a layout celebrating some of my "My Anyday" activities. I used the awesome Year-o-graphy Line on both the mini album and this layout.

Be back later with a few more scrappy creations later this week. :)

Hobby Lobby Find | February Cards

Stopped by Hobby Lobby tonight while boys were at their hip hop class. Happened across this:

...and on pg. 60, a name that I recognized, along with several other friends of mine! It made my day to see my creation in print. I called my mom up and said, "Mom! Guess where I am? Hobby Lobby. And I am looking at my card, in print!" It's hard to explain the flutters I get when I see one of my designs in print. I guess it just validates to me that someone (outside of my family + friends who support me wholeheartedly and are extremely biased) like/appreciate what I have created. Those of you blog readers of mine that are of the crafty type, I think can relate. And those of you that are not of the crafty type, think of a time when someone appreciated something you did, said, or made. Now you've got the picture. :)


 Tonight starts the beginning of a 4 day weekend and I couldn't be happier. More time with family, friends, and of course, more scrapping!

Have a lovely weekend y'all.
Feeling so blessed. xoxo
Suz

Valentine's Day | One Year Ago

I get a call. From my dad. Mid-morning. He never calls at the time. I immediately felt anxious and apprehensive and his voice when he spoke his first words to me confirmed the fear I was feeling inside. He preceded to tell me, through a choked voice, that my big sister, Linda (Linny) was in the hospital and that they thought she had leukemia. Life for her, for her kids, for my dad, my mom, my oldest sister, my family, changed from. that. point. on. She would, in the following weeks, move forward with nothing but a positive, "I'm tougher than a brick s___thouse" attitude. She won over the hearts of ALL of the hospital staff. Cards came pouring in to the amount that the staff was like, "We've never had such a popular patient." It wasn't surprising at all to those of us who loved her. She made everyday fun. Everyday full of laughter. She radiated goodness. And her positive attitude and radiant spirit found her with a diagnosis of "cancer free" on Friday March 25. Her celebratory party short-lived as she passed away to be an angel in the wee hours of March 29; dying from pneumonia as a result of having no immune system.

A year later, I am still grieving. Still sad. But hopeful. There are more happy days now than in the past. There are still frequent tears and sadness for the memories that won't be made with her in them. But I keep moving forward, we keep moving forward, knowing full well in my (our) heart, that she wants us ALL to be happy, for us ALL to love. For us ALL to live. life. to. the. fullest.

I made a layout today in her memory.
The journaling is tucked behind the photo.

Happy Valentine's Day to you. Please do what Linny would want for us all to do.
Go Live. Go Laugh. Go Love.

Weekend Update | Feb.12.12

good weekend. Great weekend. Tennis tourney. Mick played trumpet at church. Boys went to college hoops and were given seats in VIP box and were on the JumboTron again for second time in two games! They were soooo excited. I returned home from tennis tourney (in a tough loss in the finals in which we were up 3-0 in the first set and lost the first set 5-7) to find happy mail- two requests for layouts to be published in Scrapbook Trends July 2012 issue. I never get tired of that kind of email. :)

Anyways, I did manage to find a little time to scrap over the weekend amidst laundry, bill paying and making some homemade lasagna and chocolate chip cookies.
Here's a few layouts. One was for an online sketch challenge. The other, just playing with some new scrappy fun.

We are gearing up for our (potential) first winter weather of any note. This is the "storm line" of weather making it's way toward us tonight. May actually have a snow day tomorrow. But I'm not counting my chickens until they hatch. ;)

Hope the weather is lovely where you are.
Suz

Happy Scrappy Superbowl Sunday | A Few More Layouts

...to post before kickoff. I actually completed this at a crop last weekend, but the weather has been overcast the past few days and I have a had difficulty getting enough light on the layouts. (The card stock should look pure white-lol).

 I had so much fun playing with my Silhouette with this one. Love that I can play with the designs and flip, turn, resize to my liking. Endless possibilities...oh my. (SIGH).

Off to work on Project Life and tidy up my scrap space before kickoff. Won't get to into the game as my Packers aren't playing. :( :( :(
Will be interested in the half time commercials though. :)

A Little More Love in This Scrappy House

Still playing with those puffy little heart stickers. Having sooooomuch fun with them. Glad I bought several packages. :)

Here's my latest creation:

 I mimicked the effect of the "glass" in the mason jar by recycling/repurposing a piece of acetate packaging from a sticker set. It was a bit tricky to glue but a fun result nonetheless. Happy scrappy Saturday y'all!

I Hit the Bullseye With Him | Valentine's Layout

Thought I'd share the scrappy love with Valentine's Day just around the corner. Here's a layout I completed last weekend that celebrates my DH and the sweetheart that he is. Such a lucky girl I am. Blessed too!