August Word Puzzle

Here are the creations for my upcoming Word Puzzle Workshop. Click here for more info.

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I used the Tinkerin' paper along with the August Word Puzzle, and Tender Tags stamp sets. On one of the cards I also used the new stamp set called You're a Hoot.

Layout Option - I used the Tinkerin' Workshop Guide for this fun layout. All workshop participants can now get the Workshop Guide instead of the extra B&T papers - OR you can get both for an additional $1 added on to your workshop fee.

6x6 Option

Card Option - from now on, my workshop card options are going to include 1 card using the Word Puzzle stamp set, 1 card using the Stamp of the Month, and 1 card using any stamp set that I haven't used yet. Here I used the Stamp of the Month, Tender Tags, the August Word Puzzle, and my new set called You're a Hoot. I also used the card patterns featured in the Tinkerin' Workshop Guide - this month they are all from Originals - Stage Right, Pieced Panels, and A Heartfelt Classic.

Thanks for looking!

My MVP's

The girls started Fast Pitch Softball games last week - this year Brianna was old enough and didn't have to play T-Ball like she did last year, so she's on the same team as Kaylee. Plus, they have Daddy as one of their coaches - how fun is that! Their other coach used to be our Bishop but is now in the Stake Presidency - his 8 year old daughter is on the team, two of his older daughters help in the dugout, one helps keep score when our team has to provide someone in the crows nest, one likes to talk to Trysten and make him smile, and the other plays with Brailee. It's been fun!

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Kaylee has improved so much from last year, especially her hitting. Last year she struck out most of the time (each player gets 5 pitches) but this year I don't think she has struck out at all. The other day they were at practice and for batting practice each kid went through a bucket of balls and the pitching machine. Kaylee did awesome and only 4 balls got past her at the plate, 2 were foul tips, and the rest were fair balls! Kaylee likes to play the catcher and pitcher positions.

Brianna is also doing very well this year - much better than Kaylee was her first year! She plays second base most of the time and she's been very quick and even got a few kids out on base! It's been fun to watch them play together - they have a fun team!

Here is Brianna running from second to third just after Kaylee had an awesome hit.

I like this picture of Bree in the hole and Kaylee at third in the background.

And of course I couldn't leave out Brailee and Trysten. Brailee plays with her friend Chloe every game - they really have fun together. I just love this look on her face - she is really telling her something important ;-) Last year I posted more softball pictures HERE and a picture of these two playing together then, too - they have both grown so much!

Trysten just enjoys himself - always happy as can be! It's been cold the last couple of games so he's been really bundled up.

Finally!

I haven't posted any layouts in almost two months - besides my Word Puzzle Workshop layouts, I haven't been doing many pages lately, I've had lots of other projects I've been doing instead. Trysten's Calendar is the only thing I've had a chance to work on for myself. I've been trying to get back on track, though - last year by this time I had already met my yearly goal - this year I only have 23 completed pages, so I'd better get busy!

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Here are the pages (the only ones with pictures and journaling, that is) that I did back in May. I was originally going to do the Front & Center - Mosaic pattern from Reflections, but then I found this Level 1 page, so I combined the two ideas. I used the Rustic Numbers for the '3' and Hodge Podge Alphabet for the 'months old'. I used a Stickease for the tag and tied it all together with a bit of White Daisy RicRac ribbon. This one came together really fast - I am starting to like the Level 1 pages, as long as I have pictures that work with them! I love this Stardust paper - it's what I will be using through his entire calendar.

Then I got these ones done yesterday. I used another Level 1 page, so another quickie. I just added some Stickease to the corner, along with some Bigger Brads, and used the Solo 4 (clear embossed on the patterned paper) and Small Friendship Alphabet (embossed with Heavenly Blue EP) for the title.

Thanks for looking! If you missed them before and would like to see the other calendar pages I've done for Trysten, you can see them at the following links:

Birth Month

1 Month Old

2 Months Old

Thank You Cards

Here are some cards that I made last month but forgot to post - they all use one of my favorite new stamp sets called Thanks.

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This one was for a club gathering that I had mid-May. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I just LOVE the circle cards in the new Wishes book. This one is the Timeless Trio pattern. I used the Bella paper pack, Hollyhock RicRac (attached using Liquid Glass), and the faux stitch look came from the X in the Moments in Time stamp set. I used my Circle Coluzzle to cut the card out of a folded piece of CS - I love my Coluzzle and wish it weren't being discontinued! I can't wait to see what cutting system CTMH comes out with, though!

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This one was the Make & Take for my Open House at the beginning of May - it also uses the new Bella paper. The card on the left was my original card, inspired by the Mini Combination pattern from Wishes (I changed mine to a 4x4) and the one on the right was inspired by my SIL Sandy - she came to my Open House and did her own thing with the papers I had pre-cut, and I loved the results so I did something similar!

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Here is another card using the Thanks stamp set. I made two of these cards - one for Kaylee's soccer coach and one for Brianna's soccer coach at the end of their season. I used the Game On paper and the Let's Play Ball stamp set for the soccer ball - you can't tell in this picture, but the ball is raised on 3-D Foam Squares.

I used this sketch from Card Patterns.

Thanks for looking!

Dance Recital!

Kaylee and Brianna had their dance recital last weekend - they looked so beautiful and did such a good job, I'm so proud of them! Here are some of my favorite pictures...but first a quick flashback of all 3 of their years in dance. They sure are growing up!

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2007

2008

you can view last year's recital blog post here

2009

Thanks for looking!

End of May Catch-Up!

It seems like I'm always trying to play blog catch-up lately! I hope you're not sick of slideshows - I just have too many pictures to share otherwise ;-P Here is a quick recap of the end of May. On Friday the 22nd the girls had their Field Day at school. There were lots of fun and games and then lunch after!

Then on Saturday we did some much needed yardwork! I didn't take any before pics cuz it was BAD, but here are some during and after pics.

On Sunday after church we headed to Powell for the rest of our Memorial Day Weekend. David's Grandma got to meet Trysten for the first time and we did the cemetery runs to Byron and Lovell on Monday and then headed home after lunch. It was another quick trip, but one we needed to take. I'm so thankful that all 4 kids are such good travelers! Oh, and as you can tell by the last picture, Brailee was NOT in the mood to be smiling for pictures before we headed home - it was past naptime!

Bye-Bye Birdies! I took this picture on Wednesday the 27th of our little backyard babies - look how fast they've grown! You can view past pictures here and here. We watched them on Thursday - the momma bird would even get brave enough to feed them while we were right there on the porch, as long as we sat still and were very quiet. Then on Friday afternoon we went to take a peek at them and they were gone. So we finally removed the nest which was nice because we can now use our awning again! It was fun to watch them grow, though!

On Sunday the 31st we took a drive out to the reservoir after church to find a camping spot for this year's family reunion. While out there we saw a snake - the first (and hopefully the last) that I've ever seen in the wild. David thinks it's a Bull Snake - anyone know for sure?

Here are just some random fun pictures. Brailee was playing with make-up again and making a lovely mess...again...and Daddy bribed her with cupcakes to put some make-up on me, which she did! So then of course I had to make cupcakes (hardly seems fair, does it?) which created another lovely mess ;-P

My girls just don't seem to use the play equipment correctly ;-)

Brailee helping Daddy with a project for the scouts.

Happy, drooling Trysten

I will be posting dance recital pictures soon and then May should be done - just in time to start posting Softball pics - games start tonight!!

Blog Award

I am such a slacker and have failed to recognize this award that I've received from Tammy, Jane, Dawn, Katie, and Alanna - I hope I didn't miss anyone! Thanks so much ladies for thinking of me!

I'm supposed to nominate 5 to 10 bloggers who I feel show great attitude and gratitude. I'm going to be a slacker still and nominate...everyone who is on my Inspirational Blog List! Thanks for all the great blogs out there - I appreciate all that you share on your blogs!

Teacher Gifts

These were the gifts I made for the girls' teachers on the last day of school - seriously, I should win the Procrastinator of the Year Award ;-P

I used some blocks that I ordered from Oriental Trading ages ago but just hadn't used yet - all other products I used are from CTMH. I covered the top with paper from the Animal Cookies Creative Basics paper pack, the alphabet block look was created using cardstock (White Daisy, Tulip, Dutch Blue, and Clover Meadow) and the Essential Alphabet stamp set. I then tied just a bit of White RicRac on the photo holder to finish it off. The girls wrote a note to their teachers on the papers with their picture. The 'My favorite teacher' stamp came from a retired set called School and the paper lines and paper clip stamp came from a new stamp set called Comments.

Thanks for looking!