I lowered Aidan's ears

ok so this is my logic. It's was almost time for Aidan to get a hair cut. I usually take him to a kids place, keeps him at ease, and it's fun for him. But it's kinda of far away to take him for a hair cut unless I have other errands out that way and that doesn't happen often. So I've toyed with the idea of picking up a hair cutting "kit" and doing both of my guys hair. and Ian is LONG overdue for a trim (I love you babe but I don't dig the hair long enough to go in a ponytail). So I figured try it on on the little guy then go after the big guy! The little guy was just starting to get shaggy, I figured I just follow how his hair is now. no biggie. so here's the before and after shots, I'm pretty happy with it. and once I give Ian a hair cut the thing will have paid for itself.



oh Ian!! you're next! :)

Speed Scrap Layout

So one of my design teams that I'm on had a couple of speed scraps today. It was lots of fun and I did two layouts. so I'm a happy girl.
here's the two layouts


Credits:
Started out with a template by Simply Yin
Macho Flowers by Merkeley Designs
Dusty by Merkeley Designs (stitches, fastener)
Font- Myriad Pro

Credits:
Private (short stack) Paper Pack by Merkeley Designs
Dusty by Merkeley Designs (stitches, arrow, pin)
Macho Flowers By Merkeley Designs (journaling block)
Say It WIth Cubes by Merkeley Designs
fonts-Monotype Cosiva and Sylfaen

Feet Are Funny

Here are a couple of pages I did with "Feet Are Funny" by Merkeley Designs

Relax layout

credits:Merkeley Designs "Either-Or" Designer Sampler

Oscraps Summer Fling Collab Kit layouts

I did two pages using this kit, I love the bright cheerful colors (which are not the norm for me).
(click images to see credits)



I did two pages using this kit, I love the bright cheerful colors (which are not the norm for me).

The Scrap Palace of Romeo

totally rocked! I won a weekend there, and went the weekend right before my birthday. I got to meet my friend Kathy, who I've known through a scrapping group for at least a couple of years. She's a real sweetie! Hopefully we can get together and scrap again. We totally didn't get any sleep while we were there. We were up until 4 both nights and up by 9:30 the next morning. It took a couple of days to recover! Anyway, the Palace is beautiful, it's an old Victorian, that is gorgeous inside and out. The food was fantastic!!! (just wish there was more of it, lol. The portions were healthy sized I'm sure, but I'm used to eating more). I sure hope we can go back again sometime. Here are a couple of pictures that Kathy took (I'm lame and kept forgetting to bring my camera down, lol).

Back row-Me and Kathy
Front row-Keitha and Mary

My Birthday

Ian stayed up all day again, and went with us to the zoo.
Here are a couple of pictures from our day.

So sad to hear...

that Bernie Mac passed away today. It's hard to believe that the man I ran into a little over a year ago at a local theater is gone. He was so nice in person, and always seemed so vibrant and alive. My thoughts are with his family.

Very talented and funny man, he'll be missed.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Here's a layout with the recipe for the jam I made. I can't remember where I found the recipe, if I find the link to it I'll link it up, but for now here's the recipe.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:
4 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
2 T. lemon juice
4 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced
10 cups of sugar
2 packages of fruit pectin

In large kettle combine all ingredients except sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil. Add sugar and keep stirring till sugar is fully dissolved. Return to boil and boil for one minute. Keep stirring. Remove from the burner and skim off the foam with a spoon.

Spoon the hot jam into hot pint or half-pint canning jars. I like to pour the jam into a glass 4-cup glass measuring cup first, then pour into jars, as this makes jam easier to pour into jars. Leave 1/4 inch of space at the top. Wipe jar rims clean and screw lids on firmly. Place the jars in boiling-water canner on high. When water begins to boil, set timer and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from canner and cool on racks. Try not to disturb jam til it is cool. It may take several hours to set.

This should make about 12 half-pint jars

layout credits:

Designs by Sine template
Classic kit- Designs by Krista

2 new layouts

Designs by Sine template
Splash 'n Shine kit by LaWanna DesJardin
Peace and Quiet wordart by LaWanna DesJardin
font-Monotype Corsiva


Designs by Sine template
Macho Flowers kit by Merkeley Designs
font-Monotype Corsiva

Both of these layouts are of pictures from when the boys went camping last month, they had tons of fun!

Bagels

So, I've been on this...what would you call it? oh hell, I don't know what to call it. I've been on a kick I guess you could say, yeah we'll call it a kick, lol. I've been on this kick where I've been making things from scratch. I'm doing it for several reasons.
1- I like knowing what my family is eating, doing it this way there are no weird ingredients.
2- if I make it from scratch there isn't all that extra packaging, and it's actually cheaper most of the time.
and
3- I really enjoy it!
So I've done several things from scratch recently. I did Italian bread a month or so ago, and of course there were the donuts (I totally need to make some more of those!). And most recently I made homemade bagels. they came out totally yummy! and were super easy to make!
These are pictures of them fresh from the oven! and oh! oh! OH! are they good with my homemade jam on them!

Doing the Can-Can

Canning that is! So I'm totally new to canning. I've been researching it online for months and bought one of the "for Dummies" books about it. and a couple of weeks ago I gave it a shot. I went over to my mom's house to do it (our stove is one of those glass top ones, and the canning pot can't be used on it). So Our first day of canning we made Dill Pickles (we ended up with 9 quart sized jars, 7 of spears, and 2 of slices for burgers and such) and we made strawberry jam (11 8 ounce jars). The jam came out so good! I was so proud of us (my mama Vee helped). We're still waiting to taste the pickles, you have to let them sit so the flavor can soak in, we've got to wait for a couple more weeks for those.

Flash back to last Wednesday, we gave it another go. While searching for recipes before I came across a couple for strawberry rhubarb jam. Now I'd had never had rhubarb, I knew that I had heard of pie made from it though so I figured it must be pretty yummy, lol. So when we went to the farmers market the previous weekend I saw some great looking rhubarb, picked up some of that, and then we got some organic strawberries at the grocery store. Well this jam....let me tell you...whew! it is SOOOOOOOOOOO good. I have a new favorite! seriously! why don't they sell this kind in stores? I mean, it is such a wonderful combination! I'm eating some of it on toast as I sit here, and it is just fantabulous! We made 9 jars of the stuff and I have a feeling we're going to need to make more!

Too Precious

This is a picture of Aidan and Nanny, when he was 7 months old. This was taken during out first trip with him to NJ. We were at the 4th of July BBQ at Aunt Linda's. Aidan was such a good baby, he would pretty much sit with anyone, very easy going. And over the years I've always been so impressed with how well he adapts while on vacation, he remembers everyone's names, and always plays so nicely with Nanny. He's pretty special too, he's the first Great Grandbaby on the McB side of the family, and the second on the K side. Aidan's is very lucky to have 3 out of 4 great grandparents in his life, not to mention having the best Grammy and Grandpa in the whole world. He's a very loved little boy.
Any way...I've always loved this picture of Nanny and Aidan, it's just so sweet!

Another Lost Tooth!

Aidan lost another tooth last night! seems like they're coming out almost as fast as they came in. I'll post a new picture of the gap-py grin in a bit.

ETA- added the photo, look at that gap! The first tooth that came out, was almost all the way in when the second one came out.

Perfectly Calm Layout

One of the waterfalls down in Turkey Run, Indiana. My hubby took this picture while camping with my little guy.


The word art is from the Oscraps' collab kit, O-Escape

Just Be layout

journaling:
with your crazy work schedule it’s not often we get a chance to goof around and relax, I’m so glad I caught us both with the camera enjoying a chance to just be...


Oscraps' oEscape Collab kit

A couple of new digi pages

It's about time I got some scrapping done, doesn't seem like there are enough hours in the day sometimes. Thank goodness for templates as a jumping off point. Here's the 2 new pages-
Wright Family

I used a template by Moriginals and the Kit I used is Merkeley Designs Americana Days.
Laura and Rob

I started with a template by Shazbutts Digiscrapz, and I used LaWanna DesJardin's brand new kit, This Bliss

Mama and Me

Mama and me
Journaling:
This is how she always is for me, this smiling happy angel in my life. She is the most positive person I know. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her, and I know that the feeling is mutual. When things are overwhelming me, she's the first to step in and help. She is my own personal saving grace. She just makes things better. I love her more than words can say. I am truly bless to have this wonderful woman as my godmother. She will always be my mama.


Started out with a template by Meridith Tiede (Moriginals)
LaWanna DesJardin's Sweet As Can Be Kit
Font-Monotype Corsiva

Happy Birthday Mama!

This is my Mama! she may technically be my god-mother, but in my heart she will always be "Mama". She's helped to make me who I am, she's always always always there for me, and I don't know what I would do with out her. And today is her birthday! so from all of us, Happy Birthday! We sure do love you!

A new month!

Holy cow! Where is the time going? Wasn't it just New Years? I'm shaking my head over here, half the dog-gone year is gone! sigh. But alas, time marches on. So with the new month comes a new daily download kit, created by Tina, Irene and me, at DDD. Last month's kit was a HUGE success. Here's the preview for this month's kit, there's a new link each day at this thread. At the end of the month you'll have the whole thing, and if you post a layout in the gallery at DDD, you get a posting bonus that matches the kit.

There are still some freebie on my design blog, the link is in the sidebar. They'll only be available for a few more days, then some of them are going into the store at ScrapDebris.