relax breathe...

I combined this layout for the October Afternoon Vendor Challenge at

Two Peas with the current Challenge #6 at Color-Me-Scrappy, found here:

http://www.color-me-scrappy.blogspot.com/2012/06/challenge-6.html

I have been so busy with other projects I haven't had a chance to do their last

couple challenges and I loved this photo because of all the denim & navy,

I thought it would be perfect, and I have the new 9 to 5 OA collection to play with!

I love multi-tasking...fairly sure my life would fall apart if

I couldn't continue with the multi-tasking thing...Anyway, this was

the kids as Shawn was packing up the car...looking at the beach

wistfully and counting the days until we go back. 

Time goes so slowly as a kid, it will probably seem like 23 years...

So Exciting!!

this was posted last week on the www.LittleBlackDressKitClub.com website and their Facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Black-Dress-Kit-Club/410406945575...
I am very excited to share what I have been working on!

Hello To Jenni Calma! So Glad You Joined Us On the DT Here at LBD!

by Little Black Dress Kit Club on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 2:37am ·

Hello! My name is Jenni Calma. I retired from Architecture to stay at home with my two children. A girl of 8 (going on 18) and a boy who is 5 and about to start Kindergarten! I started keeping my first “scrapbooks” in college which were my studio sketchbooks. I used them more like smashbooks - that started my love of combining journaling with photos, drawings & paper. After the birth of my daughter, I bought a couple of books of Cathy Zielske’s and Ali Edward’s and fell in love!

My husband and I met in Architecture school and have been best friends for more than 20 years, married for 11. Aside from my craving to create, I am a typical Virgo, a little OCD, (except in my craft room where chaos is welcome), an avid reader, pinterest addict, a lover of dogs, peanut butter (preferably with chocolate), cardinals, red wine, anything Italian, and my children’s laughter.

I am delighted to be joining the Little Black Dress design team and to collaborate with such amazingly talented scrapbookers. I am anxious to share my design perspective through such a distinctive collection of crafty kits!

Jenni Calma, LBD Kit Club Design Team Member

The week is almost over...

We have had a wonderful week at the beach. It is great to have a break, but I must be getting old. I am so ready to get home. Not to mention I miss our house and not-so-bright, but sweet dog, I miss my craft room!! After spending at least some portion of just about EVERY day there, I really miss that outlet of creativity, and let's be honest, alone time. Anyway, I can't wait to get back and get busy scrapping our trip! After I wash the 15 loads of sandy clothes we have!

Beach Times...

It has been a beautiful week...perfect weather and not too much drama. Well, not long lasting drama anyway.

Papa's Day Card & some sappiness...

Quick Father's Day card using only scraps on my desk...

I had cut the card with the hearts out for another project

but should have changed the blade in my Silhouette and so the

cuts were sloppy...still found a use for it! 



Father's Day is always bittersweet for me...

I am married to THE most wonderful man, and he

is hands down "Daddy Of The Year", no, seriously,

we have a trophy and everything!

And honestly, my father-in-law's personality is pretty darn

close to my Father's, so that makes it easier on me too,

at least the fact that I am familiar with it...:)

But the bottom line is that my Dad has been gone

now for 8 years...seems like forever. 

So much has happened since he died, Sofia was only

10 weeks old when he died after a quick 30 day fight

with cancer than had spread throughout his brain & body.

Now, Sofia is 8 and Sam, aptly named, is 5 years old.

And after 8 years I am able to say that it is sad that my Father

is gone, but I no longer need a tissue in order to say it.

Time does heal, or more likely help.



let him f l y ...

I absolutely love that song by the Dixie Chicks "Fly"...

It used to make me think of my husband before we were married.

Now, as a mother of my own little man, it has a completely

different meaning, and it makes me so sad. 

Happy, but in a blubbering, crying, happy way.

I started this layout for the Scrapbook Circle color challenge,

and had this photo in my "stack to be scrapped" that I thought would

be perfect.  I thought it would be cool to fold the corner back like there was a

hidden message behind it...and have the "wish" cloud behind it...

I really wish my baby well, I want to let him fly one day, just know it will be hard.

And the star is falling down to land on the plane and guide him...

A lot of symbolism for a 12x12 piece of paper, I realize.

summer Smiles

I have been taking Amy Heller's workshop on Two Peas...Through the Kaleidoscope.

I took color theory & composition classes in school but it wasn't in application to

scrapbooking so I really have forgotten the concepts and theories behind it all.

It has been a great refresher and learned lots of new things...

Like all the workshops and challenges, it pushes me out of my comfort zone,

at least a little...I love the color purple {no pun intended :)}but I never

really use it in scrapbooking...it is a hard one to overcome.

Anyway, in this LO I used the Secondary colors in a muted tint and I

combined it with the Weekly Challenge on 2Ps to scraplift a fellow Pea.

This LO is based on one from member "piradee"...her page had a lot more depth

than mine did, but I was happy to use her inspiration...thank you piradee!

Here is the link to her LO:  http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/415034-piradee/1804473-family-american-crafts-studio-calico-kits/?c=t.

dream big...reach for the s t a r s

What can I say about this photo??

 

We were waiting for your sister to get home from school.

You miss her so much during the time you are apart,

it is a wonder why you argue at all...??  hmmmm.

 

 

Anyway, you were trying to read with me and doing an amazing job. 

You never get frustrated and say you can't do it, or that you are tired of trying,

you just keep sounding out the letters until it clicks. 

Then you look at me with wonder on your face, that you did it,

that you can do it, and it spurs you on to keep trying.

 

That look is such a blessing as a mother to witness. 

It is a look of the innocent joy in learning and experiencing something new.

It makes me want to recapture and remember that joy as an adult

before it becomes lost in a cynical, crazy world...

 

So, dream big, my sweet Sam, and reach for the stars!

 

Whew, that felt deep...maybe too deep for 7pm...I must be tired! ;)

 

tAtTOos & TEAMWORK

Our kids LOVE temporary tattoos...maybe it is a sign of

the future...maybe not...??  I thought some tattoos were kinda cool,

like the Dixie Chicks little chicken feet on the top pf their feet.

But, "there's a time and place for that kids, and it's called college..."

to quote "Chef" from Southpark.  And so, no tattoos for me,

not to mention tattoo ink was not in the budget allotted

 by my parents.  Anyway, temporary tattoos are a fabulous

treat for kids and adults alike...!  The kids now put them on

themselves and don't ask for help...it usually works out well,

 minus the half peace sign missing from my son's cheek.

 *{ I saw a sketch on Pinterest from pagemaps.blogspot.com that inspired this LO... }*