Echo Park

Hello:

I've just updated the website, http://www.scrapntime.com/, and added Sweet Summertime and A Walk in the Park, 2 collections from a great new company, Echo Park. It's been a while since I've been this excited about a new scrapbook company. I love their bright colors and fun patterns. They also have great element and alphabet stickers sheets along with a sheet of journal cards.

Here are a couple layouts I created with the Sweet Summertime kit:

I love mixing patterns, but tend to have a problem with the page getting loud with too many patterns. Here's a simple tip to keep the patterns in check and the photos the center of attention ~ start with a neutral base. Both of these layouts start with Bazzill's Kraft cardstock as the base. Here's a bonus for you - with each A Walk in the Park or Sweet Summertime collection you purchase at http://www.scrapntime.com/, you'll receive 2 FREE sheets of 12x12 Bazzill's Kraft cardstock. Offer good through next Friday, July 16.

Here's another tip for capturing your summer memories - do a recap page. Take one or two pictures from each event and put them on one layout to showcase your summer at a glance.

Happy Scrapping!

Happy Belated 4th

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th. We spent the evening at a potluck BBQ with some neighbors and friends. It's become a tradition and each year, our fireworks show gets better and better. Here are a couple pics:

Ryan was so proud to be sitting with the big boys. He's too young to hang out with them, but he does idolize their skateboarding ability. The boys did great making Ryan feel like he was part of the gang.

I didn't get any great fireworks shots, but I love this one of Erin with a sparkler.

Hope you had a great 4th!

What happened to June?

What have you been up to this summer?

Now that summer's in full swing, and 1/3 over, I thought I'd share a few things we did in June. From most to least recent - here it is:

Ryan finished the spring soccer season and received a trophy. OK, everyone received a trophy, but not everyone was this proud of it. Ryan's record for the season - 1 almost goal. He was standing close to the net, someone kicked the ball toward him and it bounced off his leg.

Erin's smile before ...

and after braces.

We went to the North Shore for a long weekend. We hiked a 1/2 mile in the rain to High Falls - the highest falls in Minnesota, or so we were told. We later heard that High Falls is actually in Canada - or maybe the trail goes into Canada. Either way, it starts at the Minnesota Welcome Center and although we intended to stay in the US, I don't believe it actually turned out that way.

We spent some time at Grand Portage, an 1800s trading post.

Of course, we had smores by a bonfire every night.

And feeding the birds. This was probably the highlight of the trip for the kids. As soon as they started tossing the bread, the birds came swarming in. They even fed a couple geese and goselings.

Last day of school. Can't believe it - Erin will be a 4th grader in the fall and Ryan will start kindergarten!

Kindergarten Olympics. This is a great tradition that St. Mike's has. The kindergarteners and pre-kindergarteners get together for a morning of games at the park. The games include gunny sack races, frisbee golf, a soccer shoot out and tug of war. At the end, everyone receives a gold medal. It's a great way to end their kindergarten, and pre-kindergarten (as in Ryan's case) year.

Yep - that pretty much sums up our June. I think the rest of the summer will be much quieter - at least I hope so!

Hope you're having a happy and safe summer!

Tonight we had pictures for the church directory. We've been included in the church's phone directory every year, but I still can't get over the fact that we've been in the same place and in the same parish long enough to be part of the photo directory. In other words, I'm feeling old. The directory pictures were OK and I wouldn't recommend the family wearing white shirts again - the proofs looked a little washed out and I rarely like photos of myself (that's why I'm usually the one taking the pictures). But I couldn't resist snapping a couple pictures of the kids beforehand. It's not often they are both dressed up and clean at the same time. I have no idea why Ryan decided to include the tiger in the picture. Honestly, it was probably the last thing he saw when he left the room, hence, it's now the most important thing he has and needs to be included in the picture. 

I don't scrapbook chronologically, but I do put my albums together chronologically. So you'll notice that my blog will and does contain layouts - some current, some not. Also, the majority of the layouts I scrapbook are 2-page spreads - it just makes it easier when I add layouts to the books I already have put together. However, when I do a 1-page layout, as I did with the Erin and Paige layout, I try to do a 1-page layout of the next event and I also try to use coordinating products and elements. Again, the products used on this layout are from Stampin Up and the letters are Quickutz.

This past December, a group of neighbors purchased several sets of holiday crafts from Oriental Trading and then divided them up in hopes it'd keep the kids busy throughout the oh so long month of December. It was a great filler when the kids got bored. We even planned a day for the kids to get together and work on the crafts. Here's the results. Ryan was the only boy and yes, he did finish a couple crafts. But, of course, he has to be different and is holding a Batman action figure (yes, I know it's not a doll) in the picture.

This year I set a couple scrapbook-related goals. One is to use supplies I own as much as possible. Another, because I know I'm weak, is to use supplies that I buy right away and not let them sit around waiting for that perfect photo or layout idea.

Here's a quick layout I put together that makes good of my second goal. I used Stampin Up's new paper pack and Sweet Pea felt. I love the texture the felt adds to the page.

The photos are of Erin and her friend Paige hanging out for the afternoon.

"Mom - come look at my science project." Hmmm, not exactly what I want to hear out of Ryan's mouth while he stands in the hallway anxiously waving me into the bathroom. His science project was a cup of water with various things dissolving in it including a piece of Pez candy, toothpaste and hand soap. There were a few other things in there, but he wouldn't tell me what they were.

I'm guessing the idea for this science project came from a Target dollar spot book of science experiments I had bought for Erin. As far as I know, the only experiment Erin has done was to dissolve a gummy bear in a cup of water. Ryan has since expanded the experiment and periodically tries to dissolve things in water. I love Target, but need to learn to stay away from the dollar section.