Simple Stories........and a Happy New Year!

so many of you know that I am a consultant for Memory Works and have been for years - i havn't done much with parties but i ordered most of my goodies through them and have 3 or 4 book parties a year.  Well this month they have come out with a great new system for those scrapbookers out there that don't like putting hours and hours into scrapbooking.  This system helps scrapbookers put together an entire year album in very little time.  You can make it more or less advanced - you can do whatever you want!  Well - Memory works has asked me to help them and i just got the product yesterday and my wheels are turning - i'm soooooooooo excited to dig in and get working on my album for 2009.  I will hopefully be able to share soon.  Here is a link to their blog http://www.mysimplestories.com/ make sure to check it out.  The colors are just amazing - and i love the distressed look.  So thats my little secret!  Now that its in my hot little hands i thought i could share. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous New Years - Christmas came and went so fast - it was kinda sad - i've spent the day taking down Christmas (makes me wish i didn't go all out on the decorating!)  But when next year comes i'm sure i'll be doing the same thing.  I will post soon our Christmas pictures.  I was such a fun day - our disney vacation gift was a hit - other than Baylee asks me everyday when we are going to disneyland and asks heavenly father in her prayers to be able to go to Disneyland soon.  How cute is that!!

hugs!
Brenda

Fondue.....

So last night was our annual Fondue party with just the adults on Deans side of the family - and it just so happens this year - for the first time ever - it was at my house. It's tradition that it is always at my mother-in-laws but they are in an inbetween home right now while they are building their new home - sooooooo it was at my house this year. Talk about pressure!! But i'm happy to say that i think it went well. It was fun getting ready and decorating for it. Here is the table - i didn't take many pictures because i was busy trying to show everyone where everything was and worrying about this and that.

Everyone in the kitchen making the fondue and munching on shrimp cocktail.
after the dinner - everyone chillen out playing the Wii!So i have a new love! It's called FABRIC - who would have thought that i had enough love to share with Scrapbooking - but its true. I love it - its almost like patterned paper to me - i just can't get enough. As for what i'm doing with the fabric - here is some of what i'm doing. These fun flowers that i took me a few weeks (not kidding) to create. More or less because i was playing with different ways to make them! I was inspired by this post from Elizabeth Kartchner. I have made a few of those flowers too and put them on a backpack for baylee for her dance shoes but i'm not quite done. Anyway - fun fun - and i think i will be playing with Fabric alot more in the future!

Here is a not so great picture of me wearing the flowers (they are pinned on). But the battery in my camera was dying so it wouldn't focus well.
And finally - here is a layout i did for the Lily Bee blog - a year in review type layout. I really really struggled with it but happy with the way it turned out - kind of fun to have this many different pictures on one layout. Make sure to head over there - there are lots of giveaways still going on!! So - i'm really feeling unprepared for Christmas this year - i really thought i was on top of things but the time has just slipped away from me - i can't beleive its next Friday - what is up with that. I'm hoping even though i have 3 parties and a dance recital in the next 4 days that our family will still make time to enjoy it and remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place - i hope all of you are enjoying the holidays!

Hugs!!

B

** I have a little secret to share - and i'm just waiting for a few more details before i can 'blurt' it out - but i'm pretty excited!!

CK Blog and Lily Bee giveaways!

So yesterday i popped in over at the Creating Keepsakes blog and what do you know - Brittany had mentioned my layout that appeared in the January 2010 issue! How cool is that! I used the Fancy Pants Christmas magic paper and glitter cuts - then added a few odds and ends! These are a few layouts that i did when i went away last month for the weekend scrapping. Studio Calico kits sure come in handy when you go away - makes for light packing! Can't read the journaling on this one really - but its about us having our little schedule of when we do Ethan's treatments and take meds - i'm pretty good at sticking too it because a half hour can throw you off and i have to plan it in. When we are doing things in the evening i make sure we do it before we go - but if not - its at 7:00PM and we have to do it at 7:00 or we are late for school!
Isn't this just the cutest little guy EVER! This is my nephew Hudson - Karie just had his pics taken and i couldn't help but share - he is adorable! I miss him. I think i am kinda clinging to this little dude - i've just started getting the baby bug recently and we all know i don't have the plumbing for more babies soooooooo i have to just enjoy the babies around me. On Dean's side there are 3 babies under 1 too (i'm actually a great aunt) - so they are all around me - mabye thats why i'm struggling.

I hope everyone has a fabulous day! I have lots of preparing to do this week - a party almost every night until next Tuesday - so off i go - trying to keep the Christmas Spirit without getting buried in it!

Go check out Lily Bee's blog - they are starting a 12 days of Christmas so make sure to go comment to win some great giveaways!!

hugs
B

Frosted...............

that is about how i feel - it has been so darn cold here this last week - not liking it. I really don't think i could live in the East where its this cold and colder ALL WINTER. So i guess i won't complain. This weeks spotlight over at the Fancy Pants Blog are the cards and border papers from the new mid show 'Frosted' line - i mean - who would of thought that these colors would work so well together - they really do - i love the color combo! I made a few cards and i'm tellin ya - these work wonders and make it easy. I used a card and border on each of the cards. Super simple cards!

It was Ethan's birthday yesterday and and we are partied out. Wednsday he had a friend party at Toads and then last night family came over - i will have to share pictures later - just wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday - i love that kid to pieces - he tests my patience more than the other two combined but he is also my most sentimental and helpful too - so i guess its a wash. I'm just grateful to have him in our lives, life wouldn't be the same without his personality, his disease - which teaches us everyday to be grateful for our blessings.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas - we have 3 parties this weekend so its going to be a busy one! If anyone has any bright ideas on how we should give the kids their disney trip for Christmas - HELP ME. I'm not sure how to do it. SO far everything is pretty themed, the wrapping paper, some of the gifts, the disney games - but i need a way to tell them. I was going to put the airline tickets in thier stockings - but Jet Blue is ticketless - haha. And i don't think they would understand if i put the itinerary in there - so if you have any cute ideas of have done it before - please share!

hugs

Brenda

terrified of Santa

So we know that Baylee is scared of Santa but this year she had tried to mentally prepare herself for her visit with him. For days she has been telling me that she loves Santa - drawing him pictures - trying to decide what she's going to tell him she wants for Christmas when she sits on his lap - and telling herself repeatedly that she is not going to cry this year. She had a few traumatic experiences last year, and even though she was only 2 1/2 - still remembers very cleary how she felt when seeing him. So last Saturday we had our first of many Christmas parties at my cousin Kami's house - i failed to mention to the kids that Santa was going to pay a visit just in case Baylee might try and talk herself out of sitting on his lap. So we all sat in a circle - some of the kids giddy with excitement knowing how was going to make an appearance and you could see the wheels turning just tyring to decide that one thing they were going to tell Santa they wanted. Baylee on the other hand has clueluess as to what was coming next. Dean was on video because i knew in the back of my mind what her reaction was going to be. She's singing away - and here's the "HO HO HO, Merry CHristmas" and still doesn't completely understand what is coming - until she see's his face and the rest - you'll have to watch this clip - it's priceless!!

It's literally FREEZING here today - high of 20 degrees -so Baylee and I are still in our Jammies, doing laundry, watching Christmas shows and eating sugar cookies!! Hope everyone is having a fabulous day - i will have some craftiness to share tomorrow!

hugs

B

Traditions

Well yesterday - we broke our annual tree adventure tradition. Every year - since i've been married to Dean - his family had driven up to Soda Springs Idaho (a 2 1/2 hour drive) the day after Thanksgiving to buy permits and cut down our CHristmas trees. There is lots of sledding/snow/and hiking to find the perfect tree - it literally is an all day adventure - and the kids LOVE it. But this year had to be a little different. Dean's parents and brother and his family were moving that weekend - so we rescheduled and tried to go yesterday - by the time we were able to leave it was just too late - soooooooo we decided to go to a tree farm in Mountain Green - so we could still have the cutting down experience and the 'fresh' tree. So we ventured up there - there were hundreds of trees to choose from - but i think we found the best one there - Dean won't admit it because i chose it - but it is the best. And the kids LOVED it because there was an empty birds nest nestled on one of the branches and they are so excited to put little tiny ornaments in it! First mama (that would be me) had to go buy myself a christmas present - i got this FABULOUS Eddie Bauer coat ( i got it in black)- its down and is for temps 0-20 F and it worked - it was freezing up there - it was only 26 degrees - so this coat was perfect - now i need to wrap it up and put it under the tree!

Now onto some craftiness- this is a layout i did with GCD Studios new Christmas line called 'Christmas Sleigh' - love the bright colors! And this Christmas layout i did using the Loverly line - probably one of my faves. And the yummy jewel swirls are from ZVA. I did some gold leaf flocking on the edges and love the extra touch!
Okay - there is another giveaway over on the GCD blog - it GREAT one - i know there is alot of you out there who loves Scarlet Lime kits - well they have included some of the new Artsy Urban collection in this months kit and GCD is giving one away so go check out the blog and leave a comment for your chance to win.

Well - i'm going to be in trouble if the lights aren't on the tree when to boys get home from school - they are looking forward to decorating it tonight! Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

B

what i'm grateful for........

I love this time of year - the kids are giddy - the house is warm and cozy - i'm i've got the cleaning bug - organizing - dejunking - the works. With the Thanksgiving being here it kinda has given me that extra push to get it all done - the only downfall - alot of pain - i've done a little to much to soon and i'm paying for it. But i'm soooooooooo grateful for our home - for my family, my beautiful kids and wonderful supportive husband. I have the BEST parents around - I love them so much and am so grateful for the support and love i get in return from them -they are always there for me no matter what - even if there are disagreements now and then - they still love me. My sister and her family - I love my nephews to pieces - and of course my wonderful in-laws - i couldn't have married into a better family. For my friends - who put up with my absence (with dean never really around i don't get much time to do the friend thing). I'm grateful for this awesome hobby that i have to endulge in every chance i get - for the friends i have made through scrapbooking, the inspiration i get, and the memories i preserve for my family. So i hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving - i can't beleive its here - and i can't beleive that we are going to cut down our tree on friday either - I LOVE IT!

Here are a few projects i thought fit the theme today - this fun layout using Pink Paislee's Amber Road Collection which I love too - this layout is to remember how much baylee adores her daddy right now - its seriously the sweetest thing. This album was fun - i dry brushed a Basic Grey chocolate album to give it the distressed look - again used the Amber Road collection from Pink Paislee - and all of the pictures are from this Fall - pumpkin patch, feild trips to the corn maze and picking apples.




 

Out for publication!!

I have some more fun projects to share in a few days from the 2 new Fancy Pants collections so check back!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. make sure to head over to the GCD blog - they are doing 2 giveaways!!
Brenda

ETM Express the Moment kit club

I was asked by Kim - the owner of Express the Moment to guest design for her this month. Of course I was happy to help out - i got my kit on Saturday and i think thats the fastest i've created - i wasn't able to start till Yesterday - i did both layouts within a few hours then this morning whipped out 2 cards. Everything in the kit coordinates really well and i love this line from Bo Bunny. So - go check out the website and see the kits offered there. Here is the link to the Monthly Kit Club also!

I loved these chipboard frames in the kit - so fun!
For this card - i placed one of the stickers onto a chipboard frame and just let it be the sentiment - works great!I punched out these squares and used dimensional adhesive to make the POP a bit.Kim has offered to GIVE AWAY one of these kits to my blog readers! So if your interested make sure to leave a comment - Kim is also doing a contest on her blog so head over there and comment there too for a second chance to win. I love the contest she is doing - so i'm going to do the same thing - she is calling it the "Warm Fuzzy" contest! The idea is to make sure you do something kind for someone EVERY DAY if you can. So just leave a comment about something nice you've done for someone else - make sure its been in the last few days - I will draw for a winner next week!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

Pink Paislee GDT

I had the pleasure of being the guest designer this month for Pink Paislee! I was able to work with the Christmas line - i LOVED everything about it - the vintage feel, the colors, all of the fun goodies that come with it - stamps, letter stickers, punch outs - serioulsy i was in heaven. Here are the projects i created. The first one started off as like a letter to Santa type thing but bloomed into this fun wall hanging!

These pictures of Baylee in her Christmas dress went PERFECT with this line......
Then just a few cards - i'm really enjoying the card making thing more and more these days!

So recovery from my surgery seems to be a little slower this time around - i know he said there was alot of endo he had to get out - so i'm hoping in the next few days. I do have to be up and at em tomorrow because i have tickets for Disney's princess's on ice for Baylee - luckily my mom will be coming with us to too! So thanks to all of you who have sent well wishes - i'm on my way to feeling better and hopefully won't be going through that again. And thanks to those who have brought in food and taken my kids - thats been HUGE. Today i actually sat in my recliner and addressed christmas cards - woo hoo! Its coming so fast i just didn't want the time to slip away and then be wondering when i was going to be able to get around to it!

**Oh - my little scrapbooking getaway up at Wolf Creek was perfect. That is seriously my thing - i LOVE every minute of it. Lots of food, good chick flicks, good friends and all my favorite scrapook stuff around me - i couldn't have asked for more (i did miss my family - but this was for ME)! There was lots of paper sniffing, giggling, over eating and sleepless hours. Can't wait for the next one!

hugs!

Brenda

some pubs!

Just thought i would share some recent pubs in this post that i've never taken the time to put in my galleries or my blog. I love this layout - more than anything i love it because it reminds me of how lucky i really am - after nights like tonight - where i'm just ornery and furstrated and all i can think about is bedtime - it didn't come fast enough- the 3rd night in a row that i've been alone - putting them all down by myself because Dean is working late. Yes i'm feeling sorry for myself - but i will get over it. This is the reason i need weekends like this weekend - a getaway with my girls - my bestest friends. 2 of them are family but i consider them AWESOME friends. And while i am gone realizing just how lucky i really am and then anxious to get home to see them again! This is was in Creating Keepsakes May 2009 issue.

This one was in Scrapbook Trends September 2009! Love this one because its from our Disney Cruise - the Castaway title is cut from one of my postcards i brought home. I'm trying to talk Deano into Disney Land in the SPring - the magic is still instilled in my kids heads - they bring up the Disney characters and all the fun experiences they had on the cruise all of the time - i want that again!! So we will see how it all plays out - if i have my way we will be putting airline tickets in thier stockings and filling them to the brim with Disney goodness! Anyone else a Disney FREAK! This one was in Scrapbook Trends August 2009! THis picture of Baylee just couldn't get any cuter - we were on a walk in the mountains near my brother and sister-in-laws house - it was perfect with the sun coming through her hair! This was in Scrapbook Trends July 2009.This is like one of the only times i've ever embossed on a layout. I did it on the buttons - i had the perfect stamp (close to my heart) that matched that star patterned paper - so i stamped it on these fabric buttons and embossed them.So i'm leaving on Friday and will be back Sunday - then I will be having Surgery AGAIN on the 10th - so it might get a little dusty around here - hopefully I will be able to update a few times. Thanks for visiting! See ya soon!

**Oh - how could i forget - Fancy Pants Designs has done it AGAIN> check out the new mid-show releases over on the FP BLOG - a winter one called Frosted and VIntage Valentine! SO FUN! Can't wait till i have my hands on them!

winner winner chicken dinner............

yay - i did the random.org generator for the first time ever. Much easier than writing names down and drawing out of a hat! Here is the winner:

Search RANDOM.ORG
True Random Number Service
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:12
Timestamp: 2009-10-30 20:52:41 UTC

I don't know how to copy and past the screen - but if you can't tell - it was poster number 12! Mara - congrats! Email me your addy and i will get this box sent off! Thanks so much to everyone who entered!! bhurd1976@msn.com

So tomorrow is Halloween and i think i've talked the kids into staying home and passing out candy! Yay - is that horrible. We have been in costume 4 times this week - we've done Trunk or Treat twice and have enough Candy for an army - soooooooo we are staying home to see what others have dressed up for Halloween!! Here are a few layouts i did for GCD Studios.

This spiderweb was cut out using my sillouhette. (LOVE IT). The white background paper and the black glitter border are from the new Artsy Urban collection by Melody Ross. I just finished up a layout I LOVE (because it has my family picture on it) with this line - can't share yet - but will soon.

Hope everyone enjoys thier weekend - i am done with assignments for the month and am going to be packing up scrapbook stuff - printing pictures and typing up my journaling for a scrappy weekend getaway next weekend. Is it crazy that it takes that long to get ready - i just want to make sure it get lots accomplished - and if i just throw things in a bag and go - that doesn't happen - i spend too much time looking through stuff and finding the perfect picture! My goal - 5 layouts - I know its not alot - but its been the most i've done up there. We watch like 7 chick flicks and eat lots of food too - can't wait!

hugs

B