So it’s a day early but I thought I’d post my November Sussies layouts!  The Sussies gallery wasn’t up earlier today but I’m sure it will be soon and then you can check out what everyone else has done!  These pictures are all from our trip this year to Anderson Farms!

This layout is based on the exclusive Sussies sketch (page 1) - I left the paper off the edge for now but I’ll have to see how bad it is in the album.  It may get chopped!

I used my new Epic Six to cut the letters out on this one!

So I’ve finished up the second week (well, almost!) of my photoshop course.  I have to say I’ve learned alot and played with a lot of pictures.  I’m not comfortable with what to use when necessarily but I’m learning!  I still have my end-of-the week assignments to do for this week which combines what we learned the last two weeks!

I have yet to take pictures of the girls in their costumes.  Michael was going to buy some straw bales so I hope he gets home soon!  I might have to have them re-put their costumes on tomorrow if it gets too late (and dark!).

Happy Halloween! 

It’s been a whirlwind around here!  Talia’s birthday was Monday so we went out to dinner Sunday.  Where she got sick.  :(  Not a great birthday dinner!  So I rushed through some work stuff because I didn’t know if I was going to be able to go in on Monday.  Luckily she was fine on her birthday so I did get to go to work (yippee).  And then I subbed at school on Tuesday.  And went back to work on Wednesday (OK, I really just went for the massage from my SIL) but then lunch and such and I was gone the rest of the day!  And it was cold and icky out!

So that brings me to today.  And I get to stay home all day except to pick the kids up at school.  So I’m going to shower, get breakfast and clean the kitchen.  Start laundry and then unpack my scrappy goods and work on some pre-crop challenges for Scrapattack Scrapbooking!  Did I mention they are having a crop this weekend?  You should stop by for some fun and games!  Lauri gives out great prizes to the winners!

And now for the rest of my Apron Strings Bigger than a Breadbox reveal!  That I was supposed to finish doing much earlier this week!

I made a few cards (no, I’m not a card person)…  but I really love the Halloween cat!

And then I realized how much paper I still had left.  And I remembered a post someone had made at willowtraders about a paper pumpkin…  so I made one from my memory because as much as I looked, I could not find the post again (so if someone knows, please tell me so I can give the proper credit for the inspiration!).  Thanks!

Isn’t it cute?  I used about 20 strips of paper to make it. 

Have a great day!

So I worked with the bigger than a bread box kit this month and the pressure was on to get as many done before my trip to Vegas as I could - since I wasn’t going to be back until the 3rd and they were due the 5th!  I managed to get 3 finished and pictures printed for the last one so all was good with the world.

Here are a my layouts.  I’ll post cards and another item later this week (I have to give you a reason to come back, don’t I?).  You can always check out the newsletter here if you just can’t wait.  Or to see what the other designers did with the same kit!

Here are some Halloween pics from 2007.  It’s lucky I hadn’t scrapped them yet!  My pictures from last Halloween (and the pumpkin carving) were lost when my hard drive went.  I should be glad that I only lost a few pics, but I was really disappointed.  Remember to back your pics up!!

On that last one, the green was just too bright for me and the pictures so I toned it down using distress ink.  I had thought I was going to have to change the background paper after I scanned it in but now I kinda like the distressed look!

And from the other half of the kit…  I used the exclusive Becky Fleck sketch for the first layout.

Pretty simple layout but it just worked for me!  I inked the paisley chipboards instead of painting or covering them.  I have always had trouble with the paisely chipboard pieces (I have a ton of them!) but I think they worked for me this month!

I’m off to get ready to scrap.  Be sure and check out the Apron Strings yahoo group and blog for more challenges this month!  We’re doing APRON Bingo and a photo scavenger hunt all month long on the yahoo messageboard!  And several weekly challenges on the blog!

Because I already had the pictures printed out and they needed to go more or less in the opposite order, I rotated the sketch 180 degrees.  I have searched for a long time for pattern paper to use with these photos and just never found any.  So I went with CS only!  Very unusual for me!

I used eyelets and these cool new flowers that my SIL got me for my birthday.  I love them!  I will need to order another package of those when I get a chance!

In addition to the challenges on the blog, we’re playing several games throughout the month and next weekend!  To find information on our photo scavenger hunt and APRON scrapbingo, check out the yahoo group here!

I have a few more cards to wrap up with my Apron Strings Bigger than a Breadbox October kit (which can be seen and ordered here), and then I can start some of the challenges!  Hope you’ll come play with us!

You’ve already seen one layout, so here are the other two I completed:

For the first one, the second page was based on the exclusive Sussies sketch!  I think there are a few more kits left so you might want to head over and see!  For more fun inspiration, go check out the gallery!

Have you checked out the Sussie Blog lately?  There is starting to be a lot more posting going on :) so I hope you’ll visit soon!  Just today I saw that Leah had posted a wonderful flower tutorial for you!

Hope you’re getting some scrapping done!  And check back tomorrow ‘cuz I’m gonna tell you about a month long crop going on! :)

I loved this paper but I didn’t have any camping pictures so I had a harder time using some of it!  I still love this layout - most especially the pictures of the Royal Gorge!  And I actually have a picture of ME and the girls on the bridge!  (Sorry, the chipboard letters are not included in kit!)

So, hope you enjoy the sneak peak :)  And I promise I have more for you soon!  If you haven’t seen the kit reveal, be sure and check out Zoa’s post on the blog or the Sussies website!

I’ll be posting soon! :)

So, even though I haven’t been creative scrapwise, I did want to share this birthday cake I made for Sadie’s party today

I really need to take Michael’s cake decorating class, but I think she turned out OK.  Sadie loved her and that’s what really matters!

Onto other exciting news, I’m a little nervous but I signed up for the last Phaunt U class for photoshop.  It’s a 6 week course which I’ve heard phenomenal things about (better be with what I’m spending!)…  but I’m really excited about it.

Wish me luck on the scrapping energy tonight!  Hope you are getting some wonderful scrappy-ness done!

From the LYB side of the kit (I usually don’t do the same topic for both of my layouts but the color in the pictures really did match pretty darn good!  I loved those little Maya Road birds but wasn’t sure how to use them.  I think it works, don’t you? 

Such bright fun colors!  These LYB papers are great for fall layouts!

 And from the My Minds Eye side of the kit - I took pictures of each student in 3rd and 4th grade and a class picture and for all the 1st and 2nd grade and a class picture as well!  I haven’t done kindergarten yet but it’s mainly because two of the students are only there in the morning and (WOOHOO) I’m carpooling this year and Jolene is taking them every morning except Fridays!

The second page is based on the sketch included with this months kit.  I added eyelets to give the scalloped circle a bit more definition.  I will probably add all the students names above or below the picture still and I may add “Grades 1 and 2” as well.

So, a quick rundown on my schedule for the next 6 weeks or so - and why I won’t scrap much :(….

Mondays gymnastics from 6:30-8:00 (A,T)

Tuesdays soccer practice from 4:30-5:30 (A) and 6 to 7(T)

Wednesdays gymnastics from 4:30-5:30 (S)

Thursdays soccer practice from 4:30-5:30 (A) and 6 to 7 (T) and Alexa could do make-up gymnastics classes from 6-7:30

That doesn’t include me helping with computers 2 days a week at school or working all day Tuesday.  And don’t forget that every single one of T’s soccer games is at 8 am on Saturday!  I get tired just thinking about it.  Thankfully it’s only until mid-October.  :)

Hope you’re at least getting some scrapbooking done!  (Oh, and in case you are wondering, I did not make the cut for the third round at TS with my Walmart layout - but I didn’t really expect to and probably didn’t have the time to make another layout for the next round!)….

One last thing, congrats to my sister and her husband who welcomed another baby boy into their family a few weeks ago!

Challenge requirements:
- Create a ONE page layout
Layout must include:
- ric-rac
- paint
- at least one hand-made flower
- 1 or 2 photos (no more, no less)
- Include the words “I’d rather…” in your journaling
- must be an original design … check

and this is what I came up with:

I used paint and really old chatterbox stickers to mask the title and painted over it.  It’s not as sharp as I would’ve liked.  I probably should’ve gone more into the why’s of rather paying more but I didn’t want to offend people that do like Walmart.  I’d rather not shop there based on my experiences and the store closest to me :)  So here’s all I did for the journaling:

Was going to try and get some challenges done for the crop at SAS this weekend but so far I’ve done nothing!  Maybe tonight - although I doubt it because tomorrow is the first day of school for the girls!