justem: little bits of this and that

Hello, FOUR!

Happy Monday!  Finally, I'm back with a new layout to share!  This one is up on the Pebbles Blog for Mix and Match Monday! :)  I am a sucker for monochromatic paper...and polka dots - both of which are featured on this layout!  The new "Rainbow" line from Amy Locurto is super cute and worked perfectly to draw together all my random colors. The yellow bag in the back is also from that same Amy Locurto line, the fun little scalloped border was cut with my Cameo, and I added a little twine and some gems from my stash!  Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Monday!

coming soon...

Since things have been slow around here...here's another look at next month's Gossamer Blue kit! I'm loving it!!

Ventage Tuesday: 5 daily necessities...

This week's Ventage Tuesday topic is brought to you by Angie!  Five things daily MUST-HAVES! I'm sure there are more than just five, but here are some that pop into my mind...

1. My iPhone.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit how much I "need" my iPhone. I think when I forget it at home I get the cold shakes and start worrying about my future! ;)  But really, it keeps me connected to everything - probably TOO much.  Email, Instagram, Feedly.  How did I ever manage without it?! ;)

2. My Converse sneakers.  If you have ever met me, you know that I wear Converse sneakers about 97.85 percent of the time. My old standbys are some nasty gray laceless ones that I wear almost every day. But I also have a plaid pair, a plum pair, a seafoam pair, and most recently a brand spankin' new gray pair with laces sent to my by my awesome sneaker sister Mandy!

3. Caffeine. I am not a coffee drinker, but it has become very apparent to me that I need some kind of caffeine on a daily basis.  It's usually in the form of chai tea or my long-time vice Dr. Pepper (yes, I am a disgrace to greenie moms everywhere). ;)  I know, I know...pregnant ladies are supposed to cut back on the caffeine, and I definitely only drink what is the "acceptable" range - but I will never be one of those pregnant people who gives up caffeine completely!

4. A phone call with mom. My mom lives seven hours away from me, and I don't get to see her very often, but inevitably EVERY time I'm in the car I call her.  Even if we can only talk for five minutes, it's worth it. Sometimes I feel bad because I call and vent or whine or complain for the entire time and she can barely get a word in edgewise...but she always does what a mom is supposed to...she supports me and make me feel better. :)

5. Snuggles. I feel like this one is obvious - but I can't make it through the day without them.  Even on the days where I want to pull my hair out and lock myself in the bathroom my mood is instantly turned around by hugs and kisses and little voices telling me they love me. My kids are far from perfect, but at the end of the day, I'm the luckiest mom in the world. :)

So how about you? What are five things you need every day??  Be sure to check out my other Ventage girls: Angie, Barb, Katrina, and Stephanie to find out what they need to get throughout the day!  I promise I'll be back soon with some scrappy stuff, I know that most people coming to my scrapbooking  probably couldn't care less about these things, ha!  This is my slow time of the month, but I'll be back soon in full force! Happy Tuesday! :) 

Messy Fun

Happy Saturday!!!  I'm SO glad the weekend is here!!  Today I am sharing my last Gossamer Blue layout from this month!  This layout includes pictures from last summer when we made "sidewalk chalk paint" to use on the driveway!  It was super fun and easy to make, and as you can see from the photos, it was a ton of fun!

Stolen!

Hello!  This evening I came across a fun list on Ali Edwards' blog - I usually reserve these kinds of posts for my private blog, but since Ventage Tuesday is taking a little spring break, I though I would post this here, as well. I love these kinds of update posts...and rather than being innovative...I've just stolen Ali's! :)  

VANITY | Well, I don't have a vanity. I do have a crazy disorganized medicine cabinet with way too much to mention.  A few highlights - a giant tub of Trader Joe's coconut oil, my favorite Life Stinks deodorant, a nice collection of Mineral Fusion makeup, all my Nutraganics face stuff, and some Aveda hair products. I should take a picture...it's pretty ridiculous how much stuff is crammed in there!!

PERENNIAL TO DO LIST | Clean the house. Clean the house. Clean the house.  

REFRIGERATOR SHELVES | Which shelf?!  The top one? I call that one the "beverage shelf." We've got organic skim and 2% milk, regular soymilk, chocolate almond milk, Good Belly probiotic drink, Tazo chai concentrate, some orange juice, and the only non-beverage item (unless you are perhaps Buddy the Elf) is a big jug of maple syrup.

ITINERARY | Music programs on Friday. Can't WAIT for them to be over.  Perhaps a trip to the Arboretum this weekend (if this stinkin' rain ever stops) and a much-anticipated girl's date with Barb, Josie, and Kelly to eat and see Big Fish next weekend!

FANTASY ITINERARY | A trip with Justin - this one is actually in the works...I just need to get on the ball and start some serious planning!   

PLAYLIST | It's always changing, yet staying pretty much the same. ;)  The last four songs I downloaded? Passion Pit, Bon Iver, Mat Kearney, Jose Gonzalez, and The Head and the Heart. Yes, I like kind of mellow music. ;)

 NIGHTSTAND | One Good Deed, The Happiness Project 

WORKOUT PLAN | Does "get off your lazy butt and walk on the treadmill a couple times a week" count as a workout plan???

IPHONE | Waaaaay too many photos. :)

TOP 5 LIST | Um, I have no idea.  Enjoy my family. Be creative. Experience the outdoors. Cook something delicious. Read, write, record, photograph, document.

BUCKET LIST | Wow. Who knew this list was going to be so deep?! Again - NO idea.  Visit more of the world.  Watch my children grow and prosper. Get another dog, or two. Sit in a nursing home next to my husband of like 70 years, who I still love as much as the day that I married him.

MIND | So much planning.  Planning for the summer. Planning for the baby. Planning for the future.  

BLOGROLL | Too many to list. But I will say I'm enjoying Feedly now that I've finally come to terms with Google Readers demise. My self-created topics include: friends, scrappy, eat, inspiration, and hippie mama. :)

WALLS OF YOUR FAVORITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE | I don't have a favorite room...but I do love the family photos in our play room and the prints in my bathroom!

LIQUOR SHELF | What's that?! ;)  No really...I can't even remember the last time I drank "liquor." Beer, maybe...but clearly not for the last few months!!

LAST CREDIT CARD STATEMENT | New Lisa Leonard necklace, some essential oils, a Garnet Hill order.

SCREENSAVER | The same picture I've had for the last probably five years.  A pink flower photo I took on a trip with friends many years ago!

TV EVERY NIGHT | I've pretty much given up tv. The only show I still watch is Glee (and Parenthood when it's on). I watch tv maybe once every two weeks and that's it.

So there you have it. My life in a nutshell. ;)  Did anybody else steal this from Ali?? I'd love to read yours!! :) Happy day!

Gossamer Blue: May LookBook

The May LookBook is up!!  Can't wait to start creating with these kits...how many days until the weekend?! ;)

Best Birthday Presents

It's the second Friday of the month, which means a new Pinspired with Gossamer Blue challenge.  This month I ended up with only one layout...and it all came together in a very round-about way! ;)  Check out the blog post to see how I started with this:

(source: glitter & nails)

and ended up with this:

Happy Friday!!

Ventage Tuesday: 5 on a rainy day.

After a beautiful weekend (I think it almost hit 70!) we've had two rainy days in a row here. :(  Stephanie suggested that this week's topic focus on what we do to combat days like this one!!  So, in no special order, here are 5 things to do on a rainy day!

1. Watch the Muppets.  I'm a pretty big stickler about TV. My kids are deprived of Dora and Thomas and the Disney channel.  One day last month Miri was singing in away in the car, "Hunter, builder! Hunter, builder. Can we fix it? Yes we can!"  It was funny, and slightly pathetic at the same time...I didn't correct her!  We've got a short list of shows that they watch and that's it.  BUT...we LOVE movies, namely the Muppets. My kids are obsessed with the Muppets. Miri has seen like four or five different Muppet movies and loves them all.  Our number one cure for the blues or a rainy day?  Put on The Muppets, of course!  

 2. Bake something. Anything.  I am convinced that even the grayest of days can be turned around by some fresh baked goods! Banana bread and chocolate chip cookies are some of our favorites!!  I try to have cookie ingredients on hand at all times in the event of any emergency cookie needs! A rainy day is also an excellent opportunity to try one of the recipes on my Yum pinterest board, as long as it doesn't require a wet trip to the grocery store, of course!

3. Jump in the puddles. I mean really...is there anything more fun than that?!

4. Do something creative. Some moms are awesome about doing cool, creative projects with their kids like...all the time. ;) Me, not so much. I tend to use my weekends to clean my ever-messy home or to get out of the house and do something fun.  A rainy day is the perfect excuse to paint or cut or make new homemade play dough!! I happen to have a fairly large stash of scrapbooking supplies (ha!) so I can usually find something to do in a pinch!

5. Take a nap.  I have always wanted to have a family nap.  I envision us all cuddled together on the bed, sleeping soundly as we dream of the sunshine. In reality, it's one kid crawling on another, someone screaming, and nobody sleeping. But it's a nice thought... ;)

What about you?  What would you do on a rainy day? Be sure to check out Angie, Barb, Katrina, and Steph for some more rainy day ideas!

Loved.

Happy Friday! Yahoo! I have another Gossamer Blue layout to share today!  Remember how I said they all look the same? Yeah...they do. ;)  But that's okay...because how can you not love this sweet face!!!  :)

I have zero plans for this weekend, which is nice after three busy weekends in a row!!  Anybody doing anything exciting? :) Have a great weekend!!

 

Hello Spring!

This is "Spring is in the Air" week on the Pebbles blog! I had a layout up on Monday that includes a lot of the new Basics and Party with Amy Locurto lines.  

I have to be honest - I created the first "version" of this layout a couple of weeks ago when I was at Archivers for a "work" night - "work" meaning I was there only because I had assignments to complete!  I made a layout using these pictures that can only be described as the ugliest layout I have ever made...seriously...it was that bad.  Had it just been for me, I probably would have left it and called it a night, but it really wasn't up to par for design team work, so I ripped it apart, revisited it a week later, and ended up with this, which is only about 100 times better. ;)    These pictures were from March 12th of last year...look the daffodils are all blooming.  Today it is April 3rd, and here is the status of my flowers:

They are almost blooming!  By tomorrow, I bet they'll all be open. Now if only it were warmer than 45 degrees... ;)