October Sketch at The Sampler!

Hello all!  It's sketch time again over at The Sampler.  Here's the sketch challenge:

And here's my page:

Can you believe how similar my daughters looked as newborns?  Caylan definitely had a ton more hair than Layla, but they are definitely sisters!  This whole page is done with the October kit, "Mrs. Weasly."  The only things not in the kit are the teal letters, circle frame, brad and stamps.  Everything else is in the kit!  I love the colors of this kit, the oranges, teals and purples.  Perfect for Halloween and just about everything else too.  Don't forget to check out the other design team's pages and pick up your October kit here.  I'd love to see your interpretation of the sketch!  Happy scrapping!

Rochelle Spears

Diana Gonzolas

Amber Goble

Holly King

Jules Dix

Monique Liedtke

FYI:

{LOVE} {LOVE} {LOVE}

That is all.

Away We Go....

If anyone needs me for the next week, I'll be here....lounging on the beach with my family and relaxing...see you next week!

San Diego, CA

The Sampler October Kit

The October kit for The Sampler has been revealed!  And it's awesome!  I can't wait to get my hands on it.  The ideas are swirling already, just from seeing the picture.  Check out the details here and make sure you get one for yourself!  Stay tuned for my pages using the kit.

Adventures in Couponing: Go to CVS...like now!

After seeing the CVS circular today and comparing them to my coupons....I RAN to CVS!  Such great deals to be had.  Here's how I did:

Dove Shampoo and Conditioner: on sale 2 for $3.00 - had a B1G1Free coupon - final price: $1.50 each

Suave Men's Shampoo: 3 for $5.00 - had a B1G1Free coupon - final price: $1.10 each

Suave Kid's Shampoo : 3 for $5.00 - had a B1G1Free coupon - final price: $1.10 each

Colgate toothpaste: B1B1Free - had $0.75 off coupon - final price: $2.12 each

Dawn dish liquid: on sale for $0.97 - had $0.50 off coupon - final price: $0.47

Pull Ups: on sale for $7.99

Skintimate shaving cream: on sale for $1.99

Tampax Pearl: on sale for $3.99 - had $2.00 off coupon - final price: $1.99

Pampers diapers: $11.99 - had  $1.00 off coupon - final price: $10.99

Total Price Paid: $40.00 even

Total Saved: $38.46!

Pretty darn good huh?  Needless to say, my family will have the cleanest hair ever!  We also threw in some M&M's and Dove chocolate at the end there.  Shhhhhh... 

Happy Birthday to me!

My husband gave me my birthday present today, a week early.  He's taking me to.....

SAN DIEGO!

He totally surprised me with this trip!  We're staying at a hotel on Pacific Beach.  He also arranged for tickets to the San Diego Zoo and Legoland!  I can't believe he did all this and I'm so excited!  This will be our first official family vacation.  Every time we go away, we go to one of our parents' houses and I'm sorry, that's not a vacation!  I'm so looking forward to sitting on the beach, eating at great restaurants and just hanging out with my family.  We definitely need this.  My husband is THE BEST!

*It's also important to note that as soon as I was told about the trip, I was immediately planning a mini album about our trip in my head.  Sad, I know.

The Sampler September Sketch

It's sketch time at The Sampler!  I highly suggest you play along as the prize is HUGE!  Here's the sketch:

And here's my take on it, using the September kit:

I followed the sketch pretty literally this month.  I used some Mr. Huey's mist to create the background (not in the kit).  I love the diagonal layout, not something I would've done on my own, which is why I love sketch challenges.  They get me out of my box!  If you want to join in on the fun, go make your layout and post a comment on the blog to be entered into the contest.  You need to include a link to your layout on your blog, photo gallery or our flickr group in your comment.  The winner will receive a FULL KIT, either August or September's.  That's an amazing gift!  You have until October 20 to get your comments in.  Can't wait to see what everyone does!  And please check out the other design team member's pages.  So creative!  Happy scrapping!

Rochelle Spears

Diana Gonzolas

Amber Goble

Holly King

Jules Dix

Monique Liedtke

The Sampler's September Kit

I'm SERIOUSLY in love with this kit.  It's stunning!  When I got it in the mail, I sat right down and started planning pages.  I came up with 5 different layouts (including the sketch challenge coming next week) and plan on doing some cards with it as well.  This is the most I've made with one of the kits so far.  They just keep getting better and better!  Here are the two layouts I've posted on their new blog and I have two more coming this month.

If you don't subscribe to The Sampler, I suggest you go and check it out.  The kits are amazing!  Happy scrapping!

The Sampler September Kit

Ten Years

Ten years ago.  I can't believe it's been ten years.  When I think of that day, my heart feels heavy and my eyes tear up.  Every time.  And if there's images on tv about it...forget it, I'm a goner!  I remember exactly where I was on that day: I was doing my student teaching in Pensacola, FL.  I taught fifth grade.  My supervising teacher took the kids down to music class and she came running in the classroom and said, "Did you hear what's happening?  People are dying!"  I was super confused while she turned on the tv in the classroom.  We watched in horror as the details developed.  The rest of the school day was cancelled while we all stayed in the classrooms and watched what was going on.  The kids didn't really understand it.  One girl did come over to my desk and asked me a heart-wretching question.  She asked, "Why are they doing this to us?"  And I couldn't answer her.  My eyes teared up and I told her I didn't know while she hugged my neck sadly.  How do you explain something like that to a child?  The most vivid image I have of that day is watching people actually jumping from the buildings.  I can't begin to imagine what they were feeling.  It breaks my heart to this day.

8 months after the planes hit, my husband joined the Air Force.  It was a hard decision, but easy at the same time.  I was proud of him for wanting to serve his country.  On the flip side, I knew he'd be going to war.  And he has, three times.  I'm so proud of be a military wife and knowing that my husband is fighting to help keep our country safe is so humbling and satifying.  With all of our faults and political disputes, we're still the best country on Earth!  Part of which was proven when we finally found and took out Osama bin Laden.  My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and the families of that fateful day in 2001.

We will never forget.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9l7Nyvdh2Q

*This video was made by a co-worker while my husband was working at Travis AFB in California.  He was an in-air refueler on the KC-10.  This is what his squadron did and the video was made for our annual holiday party, celebrating the year.  My hubby is in his blues uniform with two other guys, on the far left side.  The bald one (he has grown his hair out now!).  And I'm with a group of ladies towards the end, in the orange top on the far right (while I was pregnant with our first daughter).  Enjoy!

To cut, or not to cut?

I've been pretty against die-cutting machines from the beginning.  I always thought they were too commercial and would make my pages look too cutesy for my style.  However...I'm seeing some designs using these machines that are really pretty and can be manipulated to look really modern and cool.  So now I'm considering getting one.  I'll probably be asking for it as a gift, but I'm doing some research.  I'd like some opinions.  Do you have one?  Want one?  Which one?  What's your experience like with them?  I'd love any feedback you're willing to give me.

Thanks in advance for your input!  We're heading to Phoenix this weekend to take my father-in-law to my sister-in-law's house and spend some time with them.  Have a safe weekend everyone!