Pretty Paper Blog

I always seem to have “Big Plans” for my Saturdays…I can’t ever seem to accomplish all that I want to squeeze into that one day every week.  Do you have this problem with Saturdays too?  Right now I have so many irons in the fire I think I’m going to burn the house (or my brain) down. 

Around an round she goes…where she’ll stop, nobody knows!

Yes, I know this is a pretty random post…

The above photo is a little Chinese takeout box that I covered with some of the new paper from Graphic 45’s Botanica Bella Line.  I love being on their design team, seriously…their paper is so beautiful and easy to work with!

This is the class I am teaching up at Paradise Scrapbook Boutique today:

A fun summer paper bag album, bound together with (my fave) the Bind-it-all.  Nice.

And NEXT Saturday I’m teaching a Two-page Layout using Teresa Collins - Travelogue paper.  I love to work with this paper…tons of fun and very versatile, did I say I love this paper?

The photos on the layout are from our trip to Disneyland last September…I can’t believe it’s almost been A YEAR since we went last…it seems like it was just yesterday.  Man, these days (weeks, years) just fly!

So my big plans….?

Teach, clean, create, play.  Oh, and maybe get some rose bushes planted….cross your fingers!

What are your big plans?  Love to hear ‘em!

This is too cool, so I thought I would share it for Candid Carries Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog

Created by Joss Whedon (Serenity, Firefly, etc.)

If you like Musicals…or Sci Fi…or just like stuff that’s funny - you must CLICK HERE!

In Joss Whedon’s words:

ONE WEEK ONLY! AN INTERNET MINISERIES EVENT!

“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” will be streamed, LIVE (that part’s not true), FREE (sadly, that part is) right on Drhorrible.com, in mid-July. Specifically:

ACT ONE (Wheee!) will go up Tuesday July 15th.

ACT TWO (OMG!) will go up Thursday July 17th.

ACT THREE (Denouement!) will go up Saturday July 19th.

All acts will stay up until midnight Sunday July 20th. Then they will vanish into the night, like a phantom (but not THE Phantom – that’s still playing. Like, everywhere.)

It was a working  vacation…we drove to Idaho so that my rockstar husband, Dan could help my Dad get his point of sale computer system up and running at his new store “Wolfe Lighting”. 

Idaho was lush and green.  In a nutshell, B.E.A-utiful!

I took this photo while out for a drive…

I have to admit, even though I’m a bit on the tired side (could be the 14 hour drive there and then 14 hours home again) it was well worth the trip; So nice to get out of the wildfire smoke and the extreme 113 degree heat of California:

Yep, it was bad in California…

It was SO nice to be in Idaho for my baby sister’s 21st Birthday!

OK family…don’t get too excited…she’s just holding a bottle of Martinelli’s…silly girl!

Here’s a picture of my sister Emilee with my little stinkers, Izabelle and Parker:

And here’s one of her and I together…the 11 year age gap is closing quickly (I wish)…

We drove to Idaho Falls so Em could do a little birthday shopping…we stopped at a diner called “Scotty’s” for lunch.   I took some cute videos of my Mom rockin’ out with the kids…hopefully I can figure out how to post the video later…for now, I’ll just show you a picture of my Mom with the kids:

The kids had a blast getting “outdoors” in a smoke-free environment.  And I had fun catching up with family.   I was able to visit a quick minute with my grandparents too…I’ll post more later…

I missed all my bloggie friends & am glad to be back…on my way to catch up on all I’ve missed on YOUR blogs!

A friend is someone who knows

the song in your heart

and can sing it back to you

when you’ve forgotten the words.

Live so that your children

can tell their children

that you not only stood

for something wonderful –

you acted on it.

-Dan Zaora

Cherish Yesterday,

Dream tomorrow,

Live like CRAZY today!

-Anon

Izabelle & Emilee

Exquisite Details

present themselves

along the way

It’s friday again and it’s time for Candid Carrie’s Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!

I always carry my little point and shoot camera in my purse.  So - I had it handy when our family went to the movies last summer.  We didn’t actually see the Simpson’s movie at this time (my husband is the Simpson’s fan, not I) but my kids loved the display and wanted their photo taken.  I obliged.  I just realised, Bart isn’t sitting with them.  

My family and I are heading off to visit my parents in Idaho.  We might sneak off while we’re there and take the short jaunt over to Montana to visit West Yellowstone too.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I get to see my Grandparents (from Utah) too. 

I’m going to post a “Photo-a-day” while I’m gone.  I’ll be sure to leave lots of comments on all your blogs when I get back!  I’ll miss you (really, I will…I’m a little addicted to this blogging thing).

How to make Accordion-Style Paper Flowers:

1.  Start with a long strip of paper (8 to 12 inches).  I cut this strip about 1-1/2 inches wide with scallop-edged scissors.  And yes, I used the beautiful new Graphic 45  paper again today.

2.  Fold the strip of paper accordion-style from one end to the other.

3.  Gather your edges together and tie twine (or ribbon) in the center.

4.  From the center (where the twine or ribbon is tied), gently fold out the top and bottom edges from the right hand side and glue together.  You should probably use some strong glue and hold it in position for a few seconds until the glue dries a bit.  Repeat this process with the left hand side.

Ta-da!  Your Accordion-Style paper flower is complete!

Mix and match these Accordion-Style flowers with the Circle-Punch Flowers from yesterday for a interesting twist!  Have fun!

How to make Paper flowers using your circle punch:

First of all, I must apologize for my photo quality, I made these flowers late at night, therefore I had poor light for taking photos.

I used the new Graphic 45 paper to make all the flowers pictured.

1. Punch Six Circles from your choice of patterned paper using a circle punch.  In these photos I used a 1-1/4 inch circle punch but you may use smaller or larger if you prefer.

2.  Crumple each circle and then smooth it out again (I like to chalk the edges of each circle with liquid chalk for added character).

3.  Arrange five circles in a flower shape and staple the center to hold them together.

4.  Use glue dots to add a silk flower of your choice to the center of the stapled circles.  Then use glue dots to adhere an additional circle to the center of the silk flower.

5.  Tie ribbon or twine through a button and use glue dots to attach it to the top of the circle. 

Your first paper flower is complete!    I prefer to make several different flowers and bunch them together.  I’ll post another paper flower tutorial tomorrow!