Scrapbook pages inspired by stripes

First of all, I am on FIRE this month, and I have done a ton of layouts. I have a new order of prints on the way, and if I keep on track something that has never happened before will happen: I will be "caught up" to the present time in my chronological scrapbook! This will free me up to finally get to a couple of personal projects I've been putting off, including scrapping my own baby pictures for fun.

For July in the Year of Color we are looking at stripes.

I kind of thought I didn't like them, just in general.

But as I opened my mind to them, I think I've just been misusing them.

I never thought to use them as more of an accent than the main paper in a layout.

I also see how the "right stripe" can really complement a given layout.

Happy July! I will post more scrapbook pages as I do them, and more stripes!

July 4th was soggy but good

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Despite intermittent drizzling rain, the fireworks went on and our family enjoyed a nice cookout, though we had to eat inside.

My main goal of the day was keeping the kiddos busy, seeing as how our dinner guests weren't due over until 6pm. We set up lots of things for them to do outdoors before it rained. This proved to be so much more successful than our old routine of yelling at the kids all day while we try to keep the house clean.

While the boys played outdoors I decided to craft outside, and found some striped paper. I've been very inspired to be outside all the time lately, and this was something new. I really enjoyed it, well, until I felt a few sprinkles anyway.

My liberty banner.

The boys entertained us with their play, "Cars 2" based on the movie cars. They made their own stick puppets of Lighting McQueen and the gang. It was hard to follow the thread of the story, but an amusing way to spend the time between food and fireworks.

Getting ready for the 4th!

Happy 4th! We've been doing little things all week to get ready for today.

Just had to start my inspiration board for July's theme of stripes, which for the moment is "Stars and Stripes." I just love the vintage sheet music and the McCall's pattern for patriotic costumes. So cool. Also I inherited the patriotic scrapbook paper from Erin, which rocks.

The side dish for our cookout tonight will be a vegetable medley from our garden. Yum!

The boys helped me make this banner the other day. We used a couple of "foamy" stars as stamps, stamped them in red, white and blue poster paint onto triangles cut out of used printer paper, like old google maps and stuff, then shook silver glitter all over.

Our banner in the kitchen

Zack working on his stick puppets. As we worked on various crafts this week, being that it was too cold for swimming this week, I taught the boys bits and pieces about the revolutionary war.

Nate enjoyed singing Yankee Doodle while he painted.

We spent this morning making the stage for the puppet show. I decided this week that instead of our usual routine of griping at each other all day while we clean the house for company, we will have fun together as a family. Ken pitched a tent out back and I put up the little pool for the boys to swim in. We are off and on working on little crafts (yeah, I'm actually decoupaging patriotic scraps onto the puppet stage, lol) practicing the play for tonight, eating whatever we want (which actually will be a quick trip for lunch to our favorite Mexican place, lol. Dinner is a long way off!)

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!!!

Finishing up month of yellow, and scrapbook pages

OMG is it July? Well before we start on July's theme of "stripes" I will finish up June.

I did some inspiration journaling, and considered that I actually don't look so bad in yellow, esp now that I've spent a bit of time in the sun. Hopefully by summer's end I'll drop that pesky five pounds so I can slip into a couple of cute vintage yellow day dresses I've been hanging onto forever.

I was inspired to use yellow flowers for entertaining at my Crop, Swap and Just Be Inspired party. I had also forgotten how much I like honey bees.

This page made me reconsider bringing some brightness back into the house. We've been into the whole arts-and-crafts colors (red, orange, brown) that it's nice to consider brightening things up a bit.

These scrapbook pages were from Easter morning. I leaned into the yellow/grey/black color scheme, drawing from the chick picture Erin gave me.

More yellow! I only had red paper flowers, so I painted them with acrylic paints for the embellishments. I also liked the hints of red and pink. In fact I really love pink and yellow as a color combination, esp for Easter.

Had to put these in...fun scrapbook pages of the boys using goodies Sasha and Danny got me for my birthday. ( I will so love having a scrapbooker in the family if they ever get married, wink wink)

I will add some lettering later I think. I have to add that although I didn't do much crafting at my party, I have been on inspiration overload ever since!

Another page. Here I picked up some sparkly chipboard letters and was dying to use them. I labored over this for a long time, trying to do way too much. In the end a simpler approach turned out to be better.

Our mother's day pics in dusty blue with yellow accents. Darn, I hate to admit it, being a Buckeye and all, but blue and yellow DO look nice together.

Zucchini Morning

I puttered in the garden this morning, only to find these gigantic zucchinis in my garden, that apparently grew overnight! I knew what I had to do next...

Make muffins for breakfast, of course! An upside to zucchini muffins is that you don't actually have to tell the young'uns they are in fact eating a serving of vegetables. We also delivered a care package of four muffins and a zuke to the next door neighbors, who were kind enough to water our garden while on vacation.

Today I am really just so grateful to have a day that we don't have to do anything or go anywhere. Don't you love days like that?

Crop, Swap and Be Inspired Party!

Last night I had the coolest party. I invited various friends who have an interest in crafting of all types to come to the house for my "Crop, Swap and Be Inspired Party." Basically, I asked the guests to bring something to eat, something to work on, something to swap (art & craft supplies) and something to show-and-tell. We had a really great time. I was able to get to know friends better, as well as reconnect with friends from Back In The Day.

Prepped for the party: lots of yellow flowers, plus I made a batch of white peach sangria. Delish!

A quick shot of my tidy, neat home. Ken took the boys to the Air Force Museum for the day.

I *attempted* to work on a scrapbook layout, but really just spent my time eating, drinking, socializing, and nosing around at what the others were doing.

Sweetheart Erin brought a gift in the color of the month, yellow. So thoughtful!

Monica, getting her creative on with a collage.

Sheryl brought her spinning wheel. How cool is that? There was a spinning wheel in my family room! She even let me try to spin, and I did okay, well, until it got all curled and knotted, lol.

A blurry pic of Mandy, Erin and Sue. Mandy was making matching dresses for her girls, and Erin was actually doing scrapbooking. (Sorry for the blurry pic....sadly these are the only ones I shot!)

By the end of the night I realized I was the beneficiary of a lot of scrapbook and craft materials, and I must give a hearty thank you to everyone who came!!! Rest assured that all materials not used will have a good home found for them!

A last note: everyone should do this. Especially if you are feeling bored, lonely, isolated. Find an interest and start inviting people over to share your interests with you, be it crafts, a book club, or even getting a mom's group together to go out for a bite and a drink once a month. You will be surprised at how buoyed your spirit will be when you start populating your world with people who care for you and support your interests and passions.

Sacred Salad

This was dinner yesterday, 100% from the back yard. Today will be the same. I am so lucky!