Road Trip!

We often take a road trip across the state to see family... generally during the holiday season.

Our Christmas trip was particularly interesting (including riding snowmobiles with our luggage and christmas gifts in order to reach our destination and packing our items in the extended cab truck versus the spacious--yet less winter road ready-- minivan).

Some of the elements of the trips have been "tradition". We've got it down. We know what we want in the vehicle with us as we travel, and we know what we'll see outside as we traverse the 400 miles.

I decided to "scrap" it. It's not really exciting or eventful, but it is memory making. I hope my kids will look back at this page and remember our family travels across the state of Washington with a smile on their faces.

For those interested, it's a hybrid page. I used a Photoshop Elements template that was FREE and included a video tutorial by Jessica Sprague in the January issue of Creating Keepsakes. I LOVE Jessica Sprague's computer tricks features each month!

Some of the page elements are from the Basic Grey "OffBeat" paper line (got it at CKC--Seattle... finally I'm using it!) I also created some elements using Photoshop Elements to match the paper, including text based elements (thanks to Becky for helping create the text on a path!).

And yes, that's bubble wrap you see on the layout. Here's a closeup of it: During my post holiday cleanup, I ran across a bunch of this stuff... and was inspired! After I pried it out of my childrens' hands, I kept it in my "green" scrapping stash-- I try to use random recycled objects in my projects when I can.

I used a variation of the same free template to create a two page 12x12 layout that I posted on the Paper Pals Design Team blog-- here's the journaled story behind the layout you'll see there:

So think of something you do traditionally (like a road trip)-- that isn't centered on a holiday. Scrap it. It will always be fun to look back on something that gives you happy memories.

Seven Random Facts

My sister in law Shelle tagged me for the seven random facts... it's been almost a year since I've done it, so I figure I can come up with 7 new ideas!

(And, BTW, you HAVE to visit Shelle's blog and see her creative clever and funny-in-not-such-a-good-way layout about her first trimester of pregnancy...)

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day where many people have the day off of work... (not the case for stay at home moms like me) I thought I'd share 7 random facts about EMPLOYMENT and ME.

1. My first job was peeling potatos for a local cafe. They were famous for their curly fries, so BUCKETS of potatoes needed to be peeled every day. I earned $3.40 an hour. Minimum wage in Idaho. (I feel old now...)

2. In college I worked for Pizza Hut. And dumped a tray full of drinks on the table of our district manager. Guess I'm not cut out to waitress...

3. I got a degree in Advertising (minor in Marketing) and started a job in my field directly out of college. That's somewhat unusual, isn't it?

4. I continued working a job outside the home until my second child was 13 months old. Then I took on the job of full time mom. And I'm blessed to have had that job for almost 5 years now.

5. I love using blogging and digiscrapping as my excuse for keeping up with technology so that I will be qualified to enter the workforce again someday (maybe soon??? Only God knows!).

6. In my experiences of doing "odd jobs" here and there these past few years, I've realized that I DO NOT want to be self employed and work from home. (Kudos to you moms who can manage a job and kids all at the same time! Holy moly!)

7. My dream job would be hosting a television show where I bring in creative people to share their craftiness... papercrafting, cooking, home decor, gardening... I'd learn a lot, meet great people and earn money doing it!

Okay, enough about me. I am supposed to pass this on. So, I do! To my sister SUZ. Since I like to see her blog get updated. :) Plus, she's a super interesting person. You'll have to go visit her blog in a few days and check out her 7 random facts! (Pressure's on, now sis!)

TTFN.

Six Little Monkeys

As my sweet sister's belly gets a bit bigger, we get closer to our baby shower celebration for my nephew-in-progress!

I'm doing the decor for the shower, and have had so much fun making these fun monkey themed centerpieces.

I was inspired by Noel Culbertson (Creating Keepsakes top 10 SOY in 2007) who did a monkey themed shower and posted it on her blog a few months ago... wow. Her decor was incredible!

I'm keeping mine simple with these mini diaper cakes for the 6 tables of ladies we'll be hosting.

I have one of these little guys hanging out at my local scrapbooking store Paper Pals where I got the supplies (sans diapers) to create these centerpieces.

Can't wait for the celebration!

UFP-- Completed!

Un-Finished Projects... that's what I've been up to. And I've gotten several done! Check it off the list.

I took the photo in this layout of my oldest daughter a year and a half ago. She had drawn a picture of the globe-- complete with geographic locations that she believes exist.

When I took the picture, I could just imagine the scrapbook page in my mind (any die-hard scrapbookers out there know what I mean) and it feels great to finally complete what I set out to do. And I think she'll have fun looking back at it years from now.

You can't really see my favorite part of the page (her handwritten words on the chalkboard), so I'll enlighten you. Hidden in the "Map Key" pocket is the first grade spelling version of the locations that she wrote on the board... as well as my re-written translation into the English Language (sometimes first grade spelled words DO seem more logical than the offical spelling though, doesn't it?)

Plimine-- Pullman
Salf Emirece-- South America
Noseline--New Zealand
Arktic Srkle-- Arctic Circle

Just the cutest. Had to share.

The Full Monty

In response to my previous post on the "sneak peek"... you can now see the "rest of the story" at the Paper Pals Design Team Blog! Take a look-see!

My parents went to SAIPAN and all I got was...

... these beautiful pillow covers! Aren't they just great? My mom (and sister in law who lives there) have great taste!

Mom got them from my sis-in-law and sister's favorite store in the Northern Mariana Islands called "Asian Accents". And the colors fit great with the other red and black accents I have in my LR.

Since I don't actually get to travel there myself, these little souvenirs are the next best thing!

New Home Decor

Thanks to my friend Molly who sells Creative Memories, I am now the proud new owner of a fabulous frame!

Check this out...it's called an "Everyday Display", and it provides you with the chance to "frame" your layouts for display in your home. And it's magnetized! So it's simple to switch out layouts anytime you've created a new favorite.

It holds a full size 12x12 layout, comes in different colors (and sizes too) plus it has the great feature of a ribbon w/ clips on the front. Adding elements to the ribbon strip really adds dimension to your layouts.

The layout I have in it right now is from Christmas. It began as a project I made in a CKC--Seattle "Latest and Greatest" class. Since I didn't purchase the extra kit to make the layouts all 2 pages, I needed to make this one work as a one-pager. I added some ribbons, SEI chipboard, a teensy bit-o-bling and a digital photo with a couple digital embellishments. Voila!