True XOXO Challenge #33: Back to September!

It's time for another True XOXO Scrapbooking challenge, and this time it's all about September and unconventional supplies. September means back to school, and for moms everywhere, it means a host of other things.

For me, it means a return to baking (who wants to heat up the kitchen in the summer? Not this girl!) and kitchen time, when I prepare things to make school days go more smoothly. I make mass batches of waffles and pancakes to freeze (healthier than store-bought frozen waffles/pancakes), homemade syrup to pour on said waffles/pancakes, muffins, breads, crackers, granola bars, etc. I just love the baking! When I saw the parameters of this challenge, I was stumped...until I remembered all of the great kitchen supplies I've been hoarding in a drawer in the craft area for quite some time now.

From there, this page was born:

 That's little ol' me chillin' on my toy horse. I got the Polaroid from my grandmother's photograph collection, something I inherited when she passed away, and it includes her handwriting along the bottom. Apparently, this horse was dubbed "Bucky the Wonder Horse," and I don't know if that's what the toy was called or if that's what my grandmother called it...either way, nice to have the documentation. You'll see that it's patterned paper-free, something I don't do often, and only includes Simple Stores Summer Fresh alphas, banner sticker, and word stickers, as well as Kaisercraft pearls. I pulled out five different colors of bread ties and tags, and decided to use the popsicle sticks for a frame. I was going to ink them up but decided they would look better au naturale, save for the word stickers and pearls. Baker's twine threaded through bread tags made the perfect banner to accent the title!

 I am soooo lovin' how the twist ties/pearls look!

Head on over to the True XOXO blog to see what the other DT members pulled out (check the great use of washers on one of them, blew me away!) and enter your own layout using unconventional supplies for a chance at a guest DT spot! Can't wait to see what inspires you :)

Happy Labor Day, off to a cookout (as long as my oldest isn't sick anymore...fingers crossed...I want my cheeseburgers!!)

xoxo
Khristen

(not so lazy) Saturday

Trying to adjust to hubby's new schedule is *hard.* I have gotten used to him being home by 4:30 or 5 every night, with weekends off, ever since he switched from 4 years of 3rd shift hell. Well, now another change...after letting someone go, they put hubby in his shift, Tues-Sat 10-6:30. I guess it is way better than 3rd shift, but it isn't that great when it comes to dinner time, my Arbonne business (events and meetings are held at 6 or 7 typically and I don't have a reliable sitter), and our normal Saturday plans, like parties, barbeques, and playdates. Poor Patryk has cried each night, wondering when he can play with The Exalted Daddy.

With my down-and-out mood today, I figured a mix of activities would keep my mind elsewhere. I picked Rileigh up from a sleepover, treated Patryk to a doughnut for breakfast, cleaned the bathroom (much needed), headed to a shower for an hour or so, finished the laundry, made some protein bars, and SMASH*ed. I have recently decided this is a great substitute for scrapping when I run out of pics and don't fell like printing out new ones or digging into the piles of boxes of old photos. Today, I used the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour brochure and ticket from our recent trip to VT. I thought it should be Smash*ed as there are no pics of this event, and wanted to document that we did it. I love how it turned out (but don't love that my Smooch black spritz ended up all over my hands and even on my leg as it was clogged.)

 Page 1: Fancy Pants Country Boutique Barn Door wood plank paper and die cut folder; Houndstooth & Dear Lizzy Thickers; Sassafrass pink swirl alpha; Scenic Route alpha; black SMASH* pen to outline some of the letters; MME Funday Happy Days stamps; Buttercup Liquid Pearls.

 I turned the file folder into a place to hide the journaling, covering it with the stamps, and outlining it with Liquid Pearls.

 I love mixing alphas!!

 Page 2: Cut a slit in the background paper to slide the brochure into (used my Glue Arts Advanced Tape Glider to affix a piece of paper on the other side to make a sort of pocket); Smash* Swatch washi tape, all patterns cut out and stuck down randomly; EK scrabble tile alpha stickers outlined on top and bottom with Smash* pen; Studio Calico wood heart spritzed with black Smooch; Jillibean label sticker; Smash* date stamp; MME Funday Happy Days number stamp.

 Love all these patterns and the punch of color it gives the layout. Also love these SC wood pieces!

Yeah, I kind of screwed up on the date stamp, but the effect is still kind of cool, right? (Right?! Help me out here!!) It is, after all, the first time I used it :)

So that's it. *STILL* waiting for hubby. Missing him a lot...especially since Patryk is Meltdown Central this afternoon. He really misses his daddy! I guess it's back to the craft table, the best way to turn my frown upside down :)

xoxo
Khristen

Hello, crafty strangers!

It has been forEVER since I last posted. I have good reasons though: I'm trying to squeeze every last drop out of summer before it ends in a few weeks, not to mention stuck with ANOTHER sinus infection. Damn pollen.

We were on vacation, staying in Grand Isle, VT on Lake Champlain last week, and had so much fun! Here are a few highlights, and then I have the first layout I've done in a loooooong time to show off, so stick with me here. Lots of great pics from vacation!

 Grand Isle, farmland gorgeousness.

 Playing Headbanz in the camper after a day of fun and excitement!

 Gorgeous Andraia, growing up too fast!

 Hubby hates having his picture taken.

 Patryk watching his dad load a marshmallow on his stick.

 Rileigh the goofball!

 Fishing at Rousse's Point

 Wandering around Fort Ticonderoga

 Fun at the Echo Aquarium and Science Center

LOVED this mosaic embedded in a Burlington sidewalk!

 Wandering the banks of Lake Champlain at the Grand Isle Campground we stayed at.

 Not only did he catch his very first fish ever, Patryk caught the first fish of the trip out of the whole entire family!

 Enjoying dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants!

 Me being goofy at Cabot's :)

Ok...back to reality, and back to the craft table! I made this soon after returning, playing with the August Scraptastic Barn Door kit for the first time :) It was generously sent by an anonymous person, hearing that I was too broke to buy a kit this month. Hubby's birthday took a lot out of our budget, not to mention vacation! It was so sweet, and I cannot wait until I have the opportunity to pay it forward.

Everything except the Glimmer mist, ribbons at the bottom, silver Liquid Pearls, and light blue twine came from the kit. It is also a patterned paper-less layout!

 To make the Glimmer Mist rectangle under the file folder, I used the negative of the folder off the die cut sheet as a stencil of sorts. It was my intention the tab part of the folder would be visible, but of course the pics covered it up. Oh well, still looks cool! I used the brown Liquid Pearls and silver LP from a past kit underneath, and outlined the rectangle in black pen. I also thought the Studio Calico butterfly looked a little boring on the folder, so I added the silver Liquid Pearls here as well. I scored the folder with my Crafter's Companion Ultimate Tool, and adhered it with staples, making it a perfect hidden journaling element. Inked the edges of the ticket, file folder, and sentiment hidden underneath the folder with black ink.

 That fun chevron ribbon is American Crafts Amy Tangerine ribbon. I snagged a clearance pack of 24 of these spools a while back, and thought they matched too well with the kit!

 The two colors of twine, as well as a light blue I had in my stash, were braided and stapled to the top of the layout.

 What's hiding under the file folder...

There you have it! I was *supposed* to be going to an event for one of my Arbonne homies, but alas I have no sitter and hubby's schedule has changed. Booooo. Oh well, there's always the next event! Instead, I will probably head back to the craft area. It's been too long! The kids all go to school on the 29th, even Patryk, who tested into FULL DAY kindergarten a year early (there are benefits to being a former preschool teacher!) Watch Khristen's Craft Room take off before your very eyes, not to mention the Arbonnizing (yes, I just made that word up, what of it?) of our area :) I plan to kick my businesses to the next level and cannot wait to have the opportunities presented to me when all 3 kids are in school. It's like a dream come true!

Hopefully posting more tomorrow. As for tonight, I'm off to get crafty!!

xoxo
Khristen