ScrapTiffany - Brads & Eyelets Oh My!

This week for ScrapTiffany the Design Team was challenged to bring back eyelets and use brads on our project.  This was definitely a challenge for me.  Because in the "Great Scrap Room Clean Out" in January 2010 I got rid of almost all of my eyelets.  But I did keep a small amount in a few colors so I came up with this.

All I can say, is thank goodness for the Crop A Dile.  I hadn't used it to set an eyelet in a very long time (if ever).  With my short supply of eyelets I had to be careful with the practice to get the hang of it again.  But I was happy with the playful look the eyelets and the colorful brads gave the page, and then of course what page is complete without some buttons.

The background white was a bit too bright, nothing a bit of Maya Mist can't fix. I also threaded some bakers twine through the eyelets.

Highlight bullet points with some tiny brads:

Shopping and Trains

Last Friday I hit up the local scrapbook store, Scrapbooks Etc., where I have a big fat store credit from selling off my unwanted supplies.  They had the new Basic Grey Oliver goodies which are perfect for one little train dude in this house.  So I picked up several fun things to play with.

And I started using them to make this page from a sketch from the Camp Scrap class I am taking at Big Picture Scrapbooking.  I don't do many 2 page layouts on my own, so a sketch works good for me on the 2 pagers...I have had these pictures for a few weeks now looking for the perfect home.  I think I found it....

Side 1

Side 2

This Kid Made My Day

Jackson is VERY, VERY vocal, even though he only says about 5 words and doesn't point, wave or make other gestures to communicate.  He was advanced in all his physical milestones so we have assumed that he was more focused on that than talking. Tonight I walked in the door and he started waving at me (which he had never done before).  I was pretty excited because being at work during the week I miss some of those firsts.  It made my day to see this one.

Weekend Cooking Adventures

Saturday was my night to cook.  We had wanted to have a roasted chicken recipe I had made a couple of years ago, again. It was from Cooking Light magazine.  So I gathered my rather simple ingredients....

Did some cleaning and chopping...

And about an 1 1/2/ hours later I had this beautiful bird....

and these roasted vegetables...

along with the best gravy I have EVER made....

All turned into this yummy bowl of goodness, with lots of weekday leftovers...

While I was busy with the chicken.....Mike mixed some peaches and berries....

and put together a little cobbler....

Now time for the true test....

and it tastes even better than it looks....as if that were possible....

Sunday's are for grilling....

Grilled salmon with Adobo Chile Merlot BBQ sauce and tasty rice pilaf.

Who needs to eat out....

ScrapTiffany Weekly Challenge

This week's challenge for ScrapTiffany was to go "monochrome".  I had been thinking about this one all week.  By the time I sat down to work on it Friday I had decided to go with using a pool picture and use blues to make my layout.  I found a picture and just started grabbing blue colored papers, color mediums and embellishments and it just started coming together.

I had a blast with this layout, using different color mediums and Technique Tuesday Fundamental Circle Tiles.
I painted white Thickers to match the page, inked the circle with the dots, misted the inner and outer circle and cut the Echo Park paper on the Cricut.  I cut out the inside too to conserve paper, and then used it for my "sun".

What I Loved About the Weekend

Boys with fresh haircuts...

Friday night scrapping....

Coffee and silence on Saturday morning...

Looking at scrapbooks.....

Peaceful naps....while mommy is cooking

Making cookies with little boys....

Placing a pre-order for this awesome new machine....

...and the best part of my Monday was a visit from the man in a brown uniform....

I'll be back later this week with cooking adventures from the weekend, my ScrapTiffany challenge for the week, and what's in that Studio Calico box.  I have been working on catching up with a month and a half of photos and playing with lots of PSE actions.  I am pretty excited at how some have came out so far.

Picture Summer Days 1 - 10

I was going to skip out on Picture Summer at Big Picture Scrapbooking, but I have seen a few blogs recently of other scrappers that were signed up and decided to go for it.  I started a few days late, and I am now caught up with my assignments.

I used my Sony DSC-TX1 point and shoot for all of the pictures (except the one in the pool). I used PSE actions from Pioneer Woman for most of the pictures, although for a few I did my own manual post-processing.

Day 1

Summer is the boys having fun and playing outside in the evenings.

Day 2

Splashin' in the pool.

Day 3

I love the way the fountain in the courtyard is angled to line up with the windows on both sides.

Day 4

Grilling is a big part of our summer and always on the 4th.

Day 5

It doesn't matter the season, for me a glass of wine in the backyard watching the sun goes down is perfect any time of year.

Day 6 

A view I haven't noticed much lately that was one of my favorites when we moved to our house 5 years ago.  Looking down our street at the lake from our hallway windows.

Day 7 

This starfish was hanging out on the side of the aquarium. I thought the colors of its belly were splendid.

Day 8

The prompt for today led me to photograph these shells I have had for years.  I had collected most of them as a kid.  I have had them in one of my bathrooms at each home we have lived in  for years.  I see them every morning when I get ready, but haven't thought much about them in years.  Yet, every time I update the bathrooms I always hang on to this bit of my childhood.

Day 9 

These textured balls are on display in my entry way. Love the different textures and sizes.

Day 10

A scene I don't want to forget.  Nicholas and Jackson pillow fighting in the family room.  I heard them this morning giggling and playing while I was checking my e-mail I snuck up on them and found this.  I know they will be teenagers in a blink of the eye, so I want to enjoy the toddler rough housing while it lasts.