Laura Vegas

i'm seriously loving this next layout. sure … it's got a cute photo i took of my neighbors, ziek and ayana. and sure … i used the new "hul.la.ba.loo" collection from making memories. but there's another reason i love this layout.

  

this actually started off as a 6×6 layout … and ended up a 9×9 layout. you can see it now, right? the white 6×6 layout only had the photo, the green and blue pattern paper, the flower pattern paper with a few silver brads, and the yellow string tied around it. that's all it was. i was actually starting this for an assignment … until i found out i was using the wrong stuff (one of my many brain fart moments i had last week). so then i had this little 6×6 layout partially done. what would i even do with this thing … i don't keep any 6×6 albums anymore.

then i remembered seeing jennifer mention something she did on occasion. on this post here … she shows how she takes 8×8 layouts and turns them into 12×12 layouts. of course … for whatever reason … i remembered this at like 6:00 in the morning yesterday. i wasn't even awake yet … just woke up for a minute and though of it … and then went back to sleep. so last night, i decided to give it a try … and i love how it turned out!

notice all the swiss dot embossing. apparently, my cuttlebug is totally addicted to the swiss dot embossing folder … the other folders are starting to get jealous. lol! i've been using that folder on EVERYTHING … just love the simple, yet fun look it adds. and these tiny alpha stickers … love using those! although i'm always completely paranoid … asking my girls "how do you spell "really"?" … "how do you spell "other"?". lol! i know how to spell them .. but leave it to me to get the stickers on and have it be misspelled. lol!

i've missed my 9×9 layouts. that was all i did for about a year or so. but lately i seem to have gotten back into the 12×12 more … which i still love. but the compact size of the 9×9 is just so cute … and i still managed to get all sorts of fun stuff on there. and this thing has tons of dimension on it. the 6×6 layout is pop-dotted … the title circle is pop-dotted … the "v" is pop-dotted … the flowers are 3-dimensional. fun stuff!

i've been waiting to see when this fun new making memories collection would hit target stores. and a friend told me yesterday that she saw it at our store here in town … and i've seen some other people talking about it. this new collection is called "hul.la.ba.loo" … and it's the cutest stuff. i can't find a link anywhere to show you … but here is a little peek.

these are just a few super, simple cards … simpler than what i'm used to doing. but these were part of that batch of cards i created a while back … the ones that were supposed to be the least amount of steps as possible. lol! but isn't the product cute? there are so many fun embellishments to this collection … it was hard to pick and choose what i wanted to use. lol!

  

i do have a few more small projects using this collection that i'll share tomorrow. they each just need a little finishing touch added on. i also have a few other scrapping things i wanted to share … some fun stuff i've gotten recently in the mail from thoughtful friends! 

feeling a little better today … a little more "on the ball". just mailed off 2 big boxes of completed projects … feels good to have those done even if i ended up being a little late. lol! the desk is completely cleaned off and ready for the next few things i have to get done this weekend. i have the laundry all put away … and a few more loads going. dishwasher is running right now. amazing what i can get done when the house is quiet. the girls are out doing stuff … alyssa is at her dads … and sarah went somewhere with amanda for a bit. haley is still home sick … but hopefully feeling better by now. and niko is taking his afternoon nap. one of these days i will learn to relax at naptime … but usually i rush to see how much i can get done. lol!

i know i’ve been a terrible blogger this past week … or two. but i have reasons. the oddly, condensed version for your reading pleasure.

• super, crazy busy with assignments and deadlines … it’s all great stuff … just busy
• and inconviently, everything i have done scrapping-related lately has gone to heck … seriously
• my creative mojo is there … but yet stuff isn’t working out
• anything that CAN go wrong with my scrapping … HAS gone wrong
• someone told me once they didn’t think i was capable of creating anything crappy … i’m here to tell you i CAN
• last weekend was crazy with parties and birthdays … and i havn’t caught up since
• it’s been ugly around here this week … fires somewhere near by are making for terrible air outside
• but it’s been hot … i hate when it’s hot
• and i’m trying to keep the kids inside … especially since i needed to get refills for alyssa’s asthma meds
• my miss haley has been home sick all week … we miss her
• i think nikolas has missed her too … at least i’m convinced that is what he’s been trying to tell me all week
• we’re year-round school here … and doing all the year-end stuff this week
• alyssa played in the band at the 8th grade graduation … i only teared up twice … and i didn’t even know anyone graduating
• a HUGE amount of papers have come home from school … that happens when they clean out their desks
• awards ceremonies today … but i didn’t go to sarah’s because i didn’t think she was getting an award
• turns out she did get an award … perfect attendance … 1 of only 6 kids in three entire grade levels
• alyssa got perfect attendance too … 1 of only 4 kids in three entire grade levels
• alyssa got honor roll … perfect 4.0 all year long … she also got the citizianship award for her class
• kids officially finished school as of 12:15 today
• kids were officially bored by 1:30 today … and home for the next 6 weeks
• i had to say “goodbye” to someone today … and it was so hard … incredibly hard
• i’ve been thinking of her all day … and everytime i do … i cry hearing her “goodbye” to me replay over and over in my head
• and i very rarely cry
• except graduations where i don’t know anyone
• i have a load of laundry laying all over the fooseball table … i can’t seem to find the time to put it away … so we dig through it to find what we need
• we have no real food in this house … nothing that can be turned into an actual meal that is
• i had to do a firedrill today … i never knew i was supposed to be doing firedrills … i found this out an my surprise inspection a few weeks back
• i had till the 26th to fax it in … and the dude called me on the 24th to check on me
• i told him that i never do anything until the day it is due … that’s how i roll
• i don’t know how you really do a firedrill with 3 babies under the age of 20 months … i just explained to them that i would scoop them all up and carry them to safety
• i know … it’s a serious matter … i’m just being sarcastic and a pain
• it feels like friday … even though it’s thursday
• i think it’s because of the excitement of the last day of school
• although technically … it’ll be friday in one hour

so random … but that’s how i’m thinking these days. i do have a few cards that i hope to share in the next day or two. i was holding out until the product released … but a little birdie told me she came across it at target today … so i think it’s safe to share. just give me a day or two to try and catch up!

guess who else celebrated a birthday over the weekend? his very first birthday?

 

yay nikolas!!! little dude turned one year old on sunday. seemed like just yesterday he was just a tiny little thing. remember these pictures from when he first started with us? yeah, the hair is a little shorter … but he's just as adorable with the same amazing eyes! he had a super fun party on sunday … the girls had a blast. waterslides, boating, all sorts of games and activities … and tons of good food. always joe's favorite … good food. lol! i even got into the fun and played some volleyball … and i'm seriously paying for it ever since. lol! but we had a great day celebrating with his family and friends.

and he's such a boy! i know he's carrying around a purple hairbrush ALL the time … he loves that thing and will track it down everyday … and then run around waving his brush. i find it all the time stuck in strange places. i always think that's neat when it's over the weekend or something (when normally all the toys would be put away) … like a reminder to me that they were there. lol! but he's still all boy! climbing on things … trying to climb up the gate on the stairs is a big thing with him. and in the photo above … he was caught in the act of his new obsession … pulling the fake grass out of the basket on these silk trees. drives me crazy. lol! he'll grab some … and then just stand there waiting for me to tell him "no". then he'll walk over to me and hold his hand out so that i can have it back. he's cute though … so he can get away with it!

and this photo. i know he's got food on his face. and the bib .. don't get me started on the disgustingly dirty bib. lol! i have issues with bibs … i need to get some new ones. i've actually feeding the other little ones without them at all … but this dude needs one. lol! he's a great little eater though … and he'll get every single last piece on his tray. and one of the things i'm most excited about … no more formula!!! i have been mixing formula for about 5 years straight … we just had literally one baby after another here … they all were so close in age. so this is the first time in ages that it's just milk for everyone … how cool is that?!?! lol!

we love this little dude … so much! we love that we can share in his life … and spend our days having fun with him. happy birthday nikolas!

finally got around to going through some of the pics from sarah's birthday party. nothing crazy … i was so NOT even thinking about what i was doing with my camera. just took it out every few minutes in between doing all the food, cleanup, etc.

so sarah had invited some of her best friends from school for her party. i kept asking her if she wanted to invite more friends … and she just wanted her small group. we're used to doing the huge swim parties with TONS of friends and family … so this was a relaxing change. we had about 10 kids. we just hung out in the backyard … and they did lots of water stuff. first up … the slip and slide … which has left a nice, long, dead strip of grass. lol! here's sarah and alyssa.

 

next up … water balloons. actually, this was an on-going thing. because joe would spend 15 minutes filling up water balloons … and then within 30 seconds they would all be gone. so we made them do other things … while doing refills. lol! strange tilt on this photo … but like i said, i really wasn't thinking about what i was doing. lol!

and check out this thing. the wigglin' water sprinkler … found it at target for only $9.00 and thought it would be something else to keep them busy. this actually says it's for ages 3 and up. dudes … i cannot imagine a 3 year old surviving this thing. lol! it was the craziest thing … those things were going everywhere … and not in a gentle way. but it was fun to watch!

they finally figured they could "tame" the wigglin things … and then aim them at their targets. lol! here is richard (nikolas's oldest brother) getting sarah pretty good.

time for lunch. sarah wanted joe to bbq our good teryaki chicken … along with curly fries, chips, and fruit. then alyssa's dad had brought over his snow cone machine … so they all made snow cones. i didn't get any pics of that … too busy cleaning up the mess they made in the kitchen making them. lol! here's sarah and amanda. amanda is like family … i know i have permission to share her pics. lol!

and alyssa … she's a funny one, isn't she?!?! she thinks so!

 

then we did presents. sarah was so cute … surrounded by her friends and loving it. i didn't get a picture on her birthday … but we got her a creative zen MP3 player as her big gift. then a few books and a gift card to claire's jewelry store at the mall. she got some webkinz, a game, some clothes, a couple of camp rock soundtrack cd's, flip flops, and another pair of saltwater sandles. and then there was the gift cards … she got a ton of gift cards to target. and it was kind of funny … because all but one of them was in this design that she's holding up. that look is not a "what a boring gift" … it's more of a "another one in THIS design?". lol!

 

and this next photo of alyssa? when sarah saw it on the computer … she was telling me her version of what alyssa was thinking in this photo. in sarah's words … "argh, i CANNOT believe that i am spending my day with second and third graders". lol! seriously funny stuff! knowing alyssa … it probably WAS what she was thinking. lol!

and lastly, birthday brownies and ice cream. the blowing out of the candles … which we can never get lighted because there is always too much wind going on.

sarah had so much fun. i was so glad that most of her friends were able to come. we had invited a few of the girls over for a sleepover too … but only amanda was able to stay. which for us .. is really like a normal day. lol! we did have one other girl stay a little longer. and we took the four girls down the street to my brothers house to watch a movie in his home theater … they chose "parent trap".

and hey … speaking of "camp rock" … how cute a movie was that? anyone that knows me … knows that i'm a sucker for musicals … especially disney channel musicals. i still listen to the "high school musical" soundtracks on my ipod … and will drop everything and watch the movies on tv anytime i come across them. so i was looking forward to this new movie. i think we've watched in 4 times since it premiered on friday night. we have the soundtrack … and it's all loaded up on all 3 of our ipods/MP3 players. i have been going around the house singing "this is me" all day long. lol!

just wanted to stop in super quick and share a picture of the birthday girl with you. sarah turned 9 years old yesterday (friday) … and this was just one of many pics from her party today.

good party … nice and small. most of her friends that she invited where able to come. all sorts of water games and stuff in the backyard. i think the temps got up to about 102 today … felt like higher. and then oddly enough … it rained for a few minutes … a couple of times. can't even remember the last time we've seen rain in these parts … months ago i'm sure. although appropiate for a water party. lol! more pics and details to come … when i'm more rested!

happy birthday sarah-bear … we love you so beary much! 

i just dug around on my laptop for about 15 minutes … trying to find something to share with you. you'd almost think i havn't been scrapping much lately. but i have … more than ever, in fact. but nothing that i can share with you yet … so mean, right?!?! i did find this card … and i think it's all good if i share.

 

i actually made this (along with about 12 other cards) for a magazine call about a month ago. it was for super quick cards … as in "the-less-steps-the-better". so that is why it's fairly basic. then again, when i typed up the instructions to submit it … it had a ton of steps to it. lol! so maybe it's not that quick. whatever. and how cute are the little glittered women … like the ones on the bathroom doors! those are some new making memories 12 inch border strips i found at michaels a while back.

so really … that's all i've got for you. hopefully, i'll have some stuff to share soon. i have a tush-load of projects to finish up … that i'm a little worried i'm not going to get done in time. i have a few cards to write up and get ready to mail off tomorrow … almost forgot about those. i have a few goodie packages to mail off … i've never taken this long to mail things out.

and tomorrow is sarah's birthday!!! my baby will be 9 years old in the morning! i still have her present hidden away … something that has to be charged still and loaded up with tunes and videos (can you figure that one out?). and a few other small gifts that i've shoved in strange places and will have to track down. there's a party on saturday … nothing big, just a few friends from her class coming over to hang out and play water games and bbq. and a sleepover … just 2 or 3 girls i think … with a special movie viewing scheduled at uncle scott's impressive home theater down the street! and none of this has actually been given much thought yet … so i have to do that tomorrow sometime! wish me luck!!!

there is no doubt in my mind … i have to share this story from today. one that cracks me up … and gives me the heebie-jeebies … all at the same time.

so haley shows up this morning. sometimes she brings a baby doll from home or a toy. but today … she brought this:

this, my friends … is a fake cat. plastic and totally flat on the bottom … and fur on the top. tell me this does not look totally real!!! and yes, click on it to see it up close and bigger … if you dare! i guess haley was visiting with some family this past weekend … and came across this cat that has been around for years. and she totally latched onto it. has carried it around all weekend. has slept with it. her mom even had to hot-glue some of the bottom together … and had to sneak it away from her.

have i ever mentioned i am NOT a cat person? i'm not. they scare me a little. and we also don't have pets around. alyssa is very allergic to dogs … so we've never had one. and we never had a cat because … well … because i do not like cats.

so anyways. i was fine with this cat this morning. haley carried it around … held it while i held her. i touched it and moved it around when she left it behind. i tossed it to the side when the kids took their morning naps. i sat it next to her on the floor while she was eating lunch. but then i layed the kids down for the afternoon naps … and forgot all about it. apparently it ended up here … at the end of the kitchen island.

now, i do a lot of my work on the kitchen island. that is where i set up scrapbook projects during the day … in hopes of getting a few moments here and there to work on stuff. i also keep my laptop on the kitchen counter (to the right of this photo) during the day … checking in on emails, blogs, and stuff when i get time. so i'm always walking right here … where this photo was taken. 

and i kid you not … EVERY TIME i turned around from the laptop … or turned the corner of the island … this thing scared the daylights out of me!!! i would jump … and freak. at one point i was laughing so hard at this fake cat … and the fact that it looked so incredible real. and even though i knew it was fake … i couldn't bring myself to move it … or to even scoot it off to the side with my foot. i finally got to where i was eyeing it as i came close … then would make dramatic-walk-as-far-as-you-can-away-as-you-can circles around it. and i waited until the girls got home from school … and i had THEM move it! of course, they thought it was kind of cool … and placed it on the couch. even more bizarre if you ask me. lol!

we'll see if haley brings the cat again tomorrow!

thought i'd share the card i made from the leftover scraps from my last layout.

 

used some new hero arts stamps that jennifer was nice enough to send me. that heart butterfly is so cute! and i really need to use sentiment stamps more often … i'm usually digging for rubons for the majority of my cards. and also used the threading water punch from fiskars on the green paper … so glad i tracked that down! other than that … nothing fancy. just a cute card!

supplies:
pattern paper – making memories (green – passport collection), chatterbox (yellow and blue)
stamps, gems – hero arts
swiss dot embossing folder – cuttlebug
threading water punch – fiskars
other – string

i think it was the beginning of may when heather and i decided to do a challenge layout just for fun. we picked a few products that we would both use in our own ways … and it was so fun to see how we came up with different ideas for the same products. we had so much fun … we thought we'd give it another go. this time we decided on the colors green and yellow … the flourish design block from hero arts … cuttlebug embossing folders … and gems or buttons.

here's my layout:

  

now, i know i don't have that much green … i was about half way done with this, when i realized i had the color blue in my mind instead of green. lol! for the cuttlebug embossing … i choose the swiss dot folder. i used in on the green pattern paper … and the scalloped strip of white cardstock. and if you notice … there is a little section on the white cardstock in the middle that isn't even embossed. yes … that is bugging the heck out of me. lol! i think my intention was to add something there to cover that. oh well.

the flourish design stamp is so fun to use. and i decided to try out heat embossing with it. i have the stuff to do it … but have never, ever tried heat embossing before. now that i tried it … i think i'll do it a ton more! although one thing i did learn … never heat emboss directly under a ceiling fan. lol! the fan is right over where i work … i had embossing powder flying everywhere. lol! for the flourish stamp, i just stamped it twice on the blue pattern paper. i also added some small blue gems randomly on the design. i then heat embossed my title with the "beautiful" foam stamp from the december KOTM … which i notice is available for preorder if you didn't get it the first time around.

supplies:
pattern paper – making memories (green – passport collection), chatterbox (blue and yellow)
flourish stamp - hero arts 
foam stamp – december KOTM 
ink – versamark
embossing powder – stampendous
swiss dot embossing – cuttlebug
ribbon, buttons, brads, sticker – making memories
other – string, pop dots, gems

and you can see heather's layout and read about it here on her blog. i want to thank heather for playing along with this challenge … got me to try some things that i've been meaning to try … just havn't gotten around too. lol! if anyone wants to play along with us … we'd love to see what you came up with!