Pie for breakfast.....

Recent Layouts

Here are a few more layouts that I created using the June kit from ScrapMuse.  This was such a fun kit to play with!

This photo is quite old, but has always been one of my favorites.  We were staying in a hotel on our way to Disney World, and my son and nephew found these shower caps and decided to wear them.   So glad I had my camera with me!

The kit this month included this sweet little mini book.  I altered mine to use as a gratitude journal.  The pages inside are lined, and it will be easy to add more pages to it.

And here's my new best friend, my sweet little Kiefer.  He has grown so much since since this photo was taken three months ago. 

Happy Father's Day!

My parents are leaving for North Carolina this weekend, so I won't get to see my dad on Father's Day.  I wanted to get this posted a few days early so he can see it before they leave.  Have a great trip!

 

This layout was created using the June kit from ScrapMuse.  I'll share more of my layouts with you over the weekend.

It's finally Thursday

............and I don't have to work tomorrow.  I need to go in over the weekend, because I didn't get much accomplished this week, but I'll think about that on Saturday morning (when I'm sure I'd rather stay home).

Kiefer (the puppy) seems to be feeling better.  The vet can't really tell what's wrong with him.  It could be one of many things.  He's now on 3 new medications, so hopefully they will help.  The good news is, he ate two meals yesterday and two meals again today.  He's lost weight and looks rather skinny, so I'll be happy when he fattens up a little.  But his poo still isn't normal.  Sorry if that's "TMI" but those things are important in a puppy.

Here's a layout I completed using the June kit from ScrapMuse.  I created the background on watercolor paper using a thick layer of gel medium.  After that dried, I applied a coat of thinned acrylic paint, and several washes and splatters of Glimmer Mist.  It was so much fun.  It all started with a fortune I found wrapped up in a fortune cookie at lunch that day.  It says, "If you continually give, you will continually have".  I stuck it in my purse and brought it home to add to my collage.  Everything I've used is from the June kit which is full of a great assortment of paper.

I challenged myself to scrap only photos of boys or men this month, since I tend to create layouts about all the beautiful women and girls I love so much.  I guess I cheated on my very first layout, but I knew this is one that Eryn would appreciate.  And she loved it so much that she is in the process of making her own background and collage.  I love what she's done so far!

Things are busy......

My father-in-law is in the hospital, and I just want him to get better so he can go home.  Everyone wants him to get better.  It's so difficult having a parent that's ill.  I know you're not supposed to worry about things, but that's not always so easy to do.

In addition, our puppy has been ill for about 2 weeks now.  He's not getting better, either.  So Wednesday we're back to the vet.  I suppose they will do an x-ray to see if there's an obstruction, to find out if that's what is causing him to no longer be interested in food

I've had very little time to scrap, and it's driving me crazy to have the fantastic June kit from ScrapMuse sitting here waiting for me.  I've managed to complete a couple of layouts.  I'll share one tomorrow.  Here's a photo of the kit.  Missy (the new owner of ScrapMuse) has done a awesome job choosing these fun patterned papers and embellishments.  I love, love, love chipboard shapes, and was super excited to have some in this month's kit!

Some recent projects

The May kit from ScrapMuse was full of fun paper and embellishments!  Here are my projects, all my granddaughter, Eryn, all at various ages:

Have you scrapped your mother lately?

So, have you?  I admit that most of my layouts are centered around children.  Since Mother's Day is almost upon us, I wanted to create a layout about my mother.  I scanned these two old photos of my mother holding me when I was less than a year old.  I wanted to preserve the originals, and I think they scanned pretty well (with a little help from PhotoShop, of course). 

I decided to combine these old black & white photos with some bright colors.  I like the contrast.  I also wanted to include some sewing, since my mother taught me to sew.  There was some tulle in the May ScrapMuse kit, so I wrapped some of that around my block of photos.  I love using old typewriter fonts, and chose that for my title.  Not much journaling, just a simple statement that says a lot - Love you mother.

I See You!

I love this paper from Sassafras Lass (Vintage Yummy line) which is part of the May ScrapMuse kit.  I wanted to use the entire sheet for my background.  I smeared some watered down Gesso over it to tone it down in the middle a little bit.  This is my niece, Makenzie, peeking through some birthday balloons.  She's so much fun to photograph.  I have no idea why she looks like she is wearing red lipstick, but I can assure you she isn't.  I think there must be a reflection coming from the red balloon.

She's a mixture of shy and full of herself, if you know what I mean.  Children are such a joy!

Peaceful times

I am so in the mood to scrap warm weather photos, or maybe it's just that this month's Scrapmuse kit had the perfect paper for this type photos.  When we lived in South Carolina my husband bought a small sailboat, something he'd always wanted.  These photos remind me of peaceful times, when we seemed to have more time to do things like this. 

Is it warm yet?

I love Pink Paislee and Fancy Pants, so this month's kit from ScrapMuse was lots of fun to work with.  I'm really into orange right now, too, so I was glad to have the splashes of it in the paper and embellishments.

This is my sweet niece, Lauren, when she was just a little girl.  We took her to Charleston, SC, a place that my husband and I love lots!  These photos remind me of warmth and sunshine!

I'm back to loving him today...

It rained here Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday - and our puppy does not like to go to the potty outside when it's raining.  That creates a problem.   Monday he messed in the house several times because he didn't want to go outside and get wet.  I told him he wasn't a frou-frou dog and he needed to suck it up.  He didn't listen, continued to be difficult, and just about used all the patience I have.  

But yesterday the sun was out, and I'm back to loving him again.  It was SO nice to see him running around in the back yard.  He's getting so big.  I can't believe how much he has grown in the 5 weeks we've had him.  So here are a couple of photos of Kiefer running in the back yard - check out the ears!!

I Prefer

I very seldom scrap about myself.  How about you?  Do you scrap about yourself as much as you'd like to?   For me, it's very therapeutic.  My husband thinks that I find the strangest things to be therapeutic, like doing detailed cut work, or painting intricate designs, or canning tomatoes.  Oh well, I guess we're all different (the Venus/Mars thing).   Scrapping about me and my feelings is kind of like writing in a journal, but I have photos and embellishments to go with it.

This is one of my layouts using the April kit from ScrapMuse.  I am one of those people who would rather be in the company of children than adults.  I think adult birthday parties are okay........but I'd never  miss the party of a child.  Children are fun and exciting (and, well sometimes that's not the case with adults).  Children keep me young and are forever giving me the opportunity to learn or discover something new.  So given a choice, I prefer to be with children.  For me, at least, they have so much more to offer.

Here's a layout of my nephew Michael and me at a family gathering.  Reading to a child is one of those extra special things that I love to do!

Happy Easter!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  As a child my mother bought us new dresses for Easter, along with new shoes, hats and gloves.  It was a wonderful day, and I still love Easter.

How can you not smile when looking at this photo of my niece, Macy, all dressed up for her first Easter?  She is so focused on those Easter eggs.  What a joy she is!

Be Happy

Here's a layout I created using the April kit from ScrapMuse.  I'm in love with orange right now and there's just enough of it in this kit to make it perfect!  This is my niece and nephew with their precious baby, Macy.   She is such a beautiful baby!

April at ScrapMuse

Here's a look at the April kit from ScrapMuse.  There's some Pink Paislee, Prima and Tim Holtz in there.........must I say more?

Updated Puppy Photos

It's a cloudy day, but Kiefer had a great time playing outside this afternoon.  I couldn't resist running inside to get my camera, because he was being so cute (well, he's always cute!).  Anyway, I hope these sweet photos will make you smile.

He loves to jump and romp in the beds of English ivy we have in the back yard.  Some daffodils have recently popped up, and he is very interested in them.

He's really beginning to look like a spaniel here, but he still has a nose like a beagle.  I think he looks sweet at this age, but he will change as he gets older.

I think he'd live outside if we'd let him!  Right now I leave his leash on him when he runs around outside.  I have to, because that's the only way I can catch him when it's time to go inside.  He likes to run from me...........he thinks it's a game.

He knows his name, and will look up when I call him - as long as he's not too busy digging!

He's definitely a hunter.  His nose is always to the ground, and he loves to dig holes in the ivy.  I'm not sure what he thinks he will find, but he's very intent and makes little grunting noises when he's doing it.  I love this photo because it shows the "lightening bolt" marking down his back.

Oh, I love this photo, where he's in the deep ivy, and thinks I can't see him.

A Peek at April

Want a quick look at what's coming up in April at ScrapMuse?   The full reveal will be available on April 1st, but until then..............

 

Chillin'

This is one of my favorite layouts using the March kit from ScrapMuse.  As I was looking back at older photos (from 1999) I came across this one, and knew it would be perfect to use with this sweet photo of Eryn and my niece, Sarah.  They were taking a much needed break from sledding.

Sweet Feet

Aren't the feet of little children so sweet?   I used the ScrapMuse March kit to create this layout of Ryan's Sweet Feet.  He is such a cutie.

Finally he's using it as a bed

My days at home with our little puppy, Kiefer, are such a joy, and frustrating at moments.  But mainly he makes me smile all day long.  It's so sweet to have him in the studio with me.  He leaves long enough to go get some different toys, and then runs back in here to be with me. 

I bought a sweet little bed at Target to put in the corner of my studio so he could nap here.  Until today, the bed has been regarded as a play toy.  He's been chewing on it, and even drags it to the family room.  I was convinced that he'd never sleep in it.  He would instead fall asleep using my feet as his pillow, which makes it kind of hard for me to move around without waking him.  Cavaliers sure are little cuddle-bugs!

Last night Mark put him in it and tried to show him that it was a bed.  Today, after 2 weeks, he finally crawled up in it and fell asleep.  He looks so cute in there!

Only in NYC

This layout was also created using the March kit from Scrapmuse.  I love the richness and weight of the Rosa Moka paper that's in the kit.  I've been wanting to scrap these photos since 2007, and just didn't have the right paper.  If you know anything about NYC, you probably know all about the Naked Cowboy who roams the streets (in the summer only, I assume).  My nieces Abby and Erika posed for a photo with him.  I guess he's built well enough to walk around like this!

His favorite toy

Our little guy, Kiefer, sure keeps us busy.  He has a HUGE amount of energy right after eating meals.  He plays and runs and slips all over our wood floors.  He's so much fun to watch.  He has lots of toys, which I'm convinced is very important for a puppy, because he plays with all of them.  He has a very short attention span and goes from toy to toy.  He plays with his chew toys when he finally settles down a little bit, but when he's on the move, this duck is his favorite toy.  He carries it around and shakes his head.  I keep telling him the duck is dead, but he keeps attacking it. 

Here's a photo of him that I took this morning as he raced around the house with the duck!  Thanks to my sister, Nancy, for giving this duck to Kiefer.  Her lab puppy, Jeter, also loves this toy.

U Make Me Smile

I usually grab the latest batch of photos when I get ready to create a layout, but I've been trying to open up some of my older photo albums and use those photos.  These are some photos of my son, granddaughter, and me, taken in 1999.  I created this using the beautiful March kit from ScrapMuse. 

 

He loves our shoes!

Kiefer slept in his crate in our room all night!  I can't believe how good he has been.  When he's not in his exercise pen, he has a new favorite place to sleep.........right by the back door on the rug where we keep our shoes (so we can quickly whisk him outside when he has to go).  I guess he likes the smell of our stinky shoes, and curls up right next to them and falls asleep.  He has tried to chew on them several times, but a sharp "Ack!", and he stops immediately. 

Kiefer has a new home!

We brought home our new puppy today, and have been playing with him ever since.  He finally ate for us, and has been sleeping ever since.  Here's a photo of his sweet little face.  He is tearing just a little bit because he's beginning to get his new teeth.

He was so good in the car on his long ride home.  No whining, and he didn't get sick.  Just kept staring at us from inside his crate.  He tried to snooze, but woke up every time we hit a bump in the road (and in Ohio, there are lots of bumps this time of year!)

When we put him in his "area" he immediately got in the litter box and fell asleep!  His litter box was clean, though.  He has been going to the potty outside and so far hasn't had any accidents inside.  He must have felt comfortable there, but we sure hope he learns to sleep on one of the three comfy beds we bought for him. 

He is such a little cuddle bug and loves to sit on our laps while we pet him (but we're trying not to spoil him too much).  Hopefully he will want to sleep tonight!

Only 2 more days...........

until we drive to Cincinnati to bring home our new addition to the family...........a 15-week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  We are SO excited and have everything set up for him.  Now all we need is the puppy! This will be my very first house dog......ever.

He (and his 5 siblings) were born on the same day the breeder attended an Eagle's concert.  If you know me at all, you know that I can't stand the Eagles.  I know, everyone else loves them, but I don't.  Anyway, she named all the puppies after members of the band, and our puppy was named Joe (after Joe Walsh) - but I won't hold that against him. 

As a child, I had a beagle named Joey, so I don't want to keep the name Joe (no offense to my father-in-law).  Anyway, Joey was supposed to be a hunting dog, but was afraid of the gun.  Now what kind of beagle is that?  When my dad walked out of the house with a gun, Joey would hide in the dog box and shake.

So, we had to come up with a name for our puppy.  Our very favorite television show is "24".   Since our puppy lets his sister (leader of the pack) chew on his ears all the time, we decided that we couldn't name him after the main character, Jack Bauer, who doesn't hesitate to use torture to get the information he needs to save the world.  But the part is played by the wonderful Kiefer Sutherland, so we decided to name him Kiefer, and we'll keep Joe as his middle name.  Isn't that cute? - Kiefer Joe. 

I'll have photos to share this weekend!  Wish us luck.  Hopefully he won't cry or get sick on the 2+ hour ride to his new home!