FREE QP on the Blog HOP-with Studio 68 Now open @ ZiG ZaG Scraps!

My very dear friend Chengie, who is just too cute for words and one of the most original artists in both photography and her scrapping skills I have ever met.  She has become a friend that I can giggle with long into the night over IM, and we talked once on the phone. Beyond fun!
Chengie lives in South America! That alone is so cool to me, in a small country, that I had to go and read Wikipedia to know where it was at and learn about this country. Suriname.
Chengie has been giving away freebies, desk tops and more on her fantabulous blog, 68 ways to express yourself  for quite awhile!  She had a few freebie kits here and there, that I enjoyed too. I highly recommend going to her site and signing up to receive her newsletter for special things!
Last month, Studio 68 quietly opened a store at DigiScrap.nl , this was just the beginning!
Today Studio 68 opens at Zig Zag Scraps! To celebrate her team has made a whole bunch of QPs to give away. All made from this fabulous new kit Chatterbox:

Here is a preview of my QP for you:

>>>>>>>>>>>DOWNLOAD LINK<<<<<<<<<<

FOR A LIMITED TIME,
get the Kickstarters 5 for FREE
(Offer ends Monday April 25th)

I played with Chengie's templates along with Chatterbox, and here is my layout:

 

and one more 

Next stop:

Renate aka joshgirl  for a gorgeous quick page!  
Enjoy and go browse Studio 68, pick up a few things and enjoy!





Enjoy your hop!

Happy Earf Day!

I admit, I do love living on the ol' Terra fir-ma, especially in California! tee hee! Sometimes though, the terra isn't so firma here! But I am already off track.  Back to showing you what you NEED to buy! It is a whole lot, so you might want to pad your paypal! First off, my love for The ViVa Artistry must be so blatant! They have a kit Terra, just perfect for those natural feel layouts. 

I can't get over the textures these woman put on their papers, and their elements just jump on a page and behave.  I extracted a lady from my stash of old pictures, (thank you Alexis) and was pretty happy with the results:

 

I also used Studio Tangie's fonts(SBG) and Paula Kesselring's(Catscrap) burn effect.  

Next up, I knew the pics were not all that great, but Tony had got a giggle from something on the computer, he was laughing so hard, and my camera was right there, I started snapping shot after shot!   Wishing Well Creations has this huge Starter Pack for Project 365, and I kept seeing everyday in my head, with the days, so I used her kit for a regular layout:

This next one is made from a collab between two ladies, that each week, I come to love more and more. I love being on the site CT for The Digi Chicks! The back room shenanigans are hilarious, and put Leah (Mommyish) anywhere and you are sure to have laughter.  Amanda tormented the CT, telling of her kit before we could get it, and Leah dropped a picnic basket element on the post, I was hooked, I knew the story I needed to tell, before the kit was even shown! Amanda Heimann and Mommyish collab called Pretty Picnic:

I had already scrapped the walk across the Golden Gate, but our ghetto picnic in the parking lot had yet to be documented.  This was perfect:

Finally, I guess a good closing for an Earf Day post, a new to me designer.  Seven Days Designs has this adorable kit called Little Gardener. I have to say, I spent a long time, making sure everything was just right for this layout, it was so fun to rearrange.  The colors play well, with so many outdoor photo ideas.

This photo wasn't a good one, so I played with it, changing the levels,and running a few different actions on it, til I got the colors and feel, then cropped it hard! I love the final results, and how they are part of the cluster and the ripped paper, oh I was feeling too inspired having the grass grow up through it!

That's all for today, so go over to The Digi Chick, all this stuff is on sale for just a little bit...get it now while it is less money, then you can buy more? Isn't that cool how that works?  Go, on, click HERE~

The twins are done! woot

I goofed and posted this on my scrap blog!
I was up almost all night surfing and reading and making final decisions for my children's education.  Due to being with a charter, we are really blessed to get some curriculum that might not have happened without their financing.  We have made some decisions, in Science that we can not bear up with the secular science view that there is not ONE Creator.  So, on this we pay our own way, and that is okay. So our schedule written not in stone, but what looks like is gonna work:
For Absolutely and BoBanna will be 12 and starting 6th grade:Math Math-U-See, and will be doing Zeta at a normal and regular pace.  We are finally caught up and they are right where they should be academically with California Standards.  I am rather proud of them in how hard they worked. We also use ALEKs.Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. That means it is a supplement math for them to do that is written like Star Testing, and the vocabulary and skills are all on the computer.  I am looking forward to seeing the scores from their tests because of ALEKs

English-Grammar, we are sticking with Easy Grammar and doing Grade 6, and also doing the Daily Grams through the Summer.I can not yell loud enough about how Easy Grammar brought fun to the English language! I learned and my girls learned and they can almost do it without my help now! I love that idea!

Spelling is something the girls have really grasped and they started this book Spelling (Spectrum) last month, we are doing it at a real casual pace, and they will work it next year also. We had used Spelling Power, and then Word Wise (dry, boring and just ugh), and the girls do fine with this.  It is more of a time filler, when I need to work with Gman or Mr. E.
They spell fine, and I think with the History and Science we have planned, their word knowledge will increase.

Writing.  Since we are up to date finally on our core classes, and seem to have a pretty good routine going now, we needed a Writing program that would be a good start for the girls.  They are not strong readers in the comprehension area, so I am going a bit below their grade level and we are going to use  Excellence in Writing, Level A.  I like it, as there is a teacher and CDs for classroom, and I can work with them, and have the back up of learning how to teach it with support from a YAHOO forum and CDs to watch for me. I think this is going to be a good plan for my girls.  They have such wonderful imaginations and need encouragement. It is reasonable, and I can even get an extra notebook for under $20, that alone is great.

We already have Story of the World Volume 2, but I am not a fan of the activities, but like the stories, but still wanted more, and I found it in History Odyssey Middle Ages Level 1. This is written for up to 4th grade, and my girls will thrive here, to strengthen their comprehension, and outlining skills. It uses the Story of the World as a spine within the plan and that is a great thing.  We have the Kingfisher's book already, and just have a few extra books to pick up, and the others are available at the library. I really think this is going to be a fun time for my girls.  I really want them to enjoy History, and there is a book, Activity Guide for Knights and Damsels, that is so perfect for them.  I am looking forward to their smiles come History.

Science.  Oh we struggled to find something that Mom could understand and also held our conviction of In the beginning, God created.  He is our Creator, and finding Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space.  We are almost done with Biology of the same author and we loved it.  It is very bare bones, and it works for us.  Gman did it with us this year, and he isn't a real science guy, but it was good.  I am a bit wary, as this to me is the most boring aspect of Science, so I am looking forward to enjoying it.
We are looking into Kaplan, for reading comprehension, English and Language booklets to help the girls come State Star Testing.  This will just be extra work to do to keep their brains working and to help them.
The girls are going to have an elective this year!! They are doing voice.  Not exactly sure how this works, but it is with theater and vocal training.  I have a call into the vendor here in our town, and we will have to wait and see.

I love it when it all comes together!!!

I opened a new 12x12 and three pics
1. Raining like mad, headed out on vacation
2. that is the tow truck driver hooking up our broke down van
3. In rental car, same storm still unleashing gushers of rain!
This is something that needs to be scrapped and I wanted it to be grungy and crazy, so I opened up my
The ViVa Artistry file (which is in my The Digi Chicks folder) and found some cool things to toss on the page:
Otaku-I have it named Magma, bha ha ha, it is a Japanese cartoon kinda wild kit, that is so grungy it is perfect for most everything

Industry collab with Studio Gypsy-oh sad day that Miss Lisa retired, but oh I have this kit full of metal pipes and faucets and other wonderful things, and you can still get this at the Digi Chick! woot

Contemplations-this is a go to kit of the ViVa's and I think eep it may be retired...but I have it...hee hee
Okay I went and begged the ViVa's to make something that was in my head, but they laughed at me, and I was okay with that, cause I luvs them and know that the next thing that they make I will love it!
So now I am forced to search my stash of things, and things can always, always, always be found in the Thing Finder by the great Hollie of Holliewood Studios:

It is very, very hard for me to do a page without using my boss and buddy's designs, Tangie Baxter.  Now I have almost everything this woman has ever put out, but I adore her Tempest tossed and the clouds are by far the most majestic.  I did not use the lightning in this kit, but for the record, it is fantastic!

I think if I got rid of all the fonts on my machine, I could seriously live with just the ones from Tangie's Foundry! I used DoDo and Frogfoot from Tangie and then on the pipe, I used 1942 Report (a freebie everywhere): 
So after a few hours of rearranging, blending and laughing at the day, I was happy with the layout, are you ready??

journaling:
The rain was crazy,
and we were in a flood watch warning, on our way to San Jose. The van chunged and made the noise we have come to recognise as
BAD!
Tow truck called, back to town, rental car, van at mechanics and back on the road, laughing and rolling with the punches.

 

I hope you enjoyed my little blurb about the page and go have fun, make a page that is fun for you, pull out things in your stash and laugh while scrapping!

Making pages! Now you have to go buy the kits...see how this works??

My The Digi Chicks is still just as fun.  Who know that a site CT gig could be so much fun? Well, obviously a whole bunch of you do and did cause you are on them, but I didn't and know I do, and it is so cool to pick a new designer and create a fun and completely different layout. I had 3 days of mojo soaking, and it was perfectly lovely. 
Open a canvas and bam, pages are made, smiles and happy.
Started with this one of Mr. E and myself many years ago, this is a page, that will be printed in a miscellaneous book, and I can hear him laughing at Mr. Roboto.

credits

This one started out as a template and I flipped it.  Fiddle dee dee (cheryl of the gonewiththewind) Designs, she is one remarkable scrapper, and it was fun to use her templates, they are really good.
Here is the chick in it's new prison, I mean home.

full credits
This one is my hubby, who when we are on road trips, takes pictures of himself with the most hilarious faces! I used the same kit as the above layout and that is always a good sign for a kit, when you can do lots of pages!  I also used a template by Studio 68! That is my friend Chengie, and she is very good at what she does!!  Go to her store and buy everything now.

 

 credits

This is another template by Studio 68 and a kit by Mye De Leon who is very sweet! Mye is at The Digi Chick and it is cool, cause long ago she asked me to be on her team.  I politely declined, but I loved working with her kit.  She is good! So now I get to work with them and her so it all worked out nice.
These are a couple girls at church that I love and they are a pair!

credits

Being on The Digi Chick CT team is pure fun and from it I scored a fabulous team with ViVa ARtistry, I seriously think they are one of the best designers on the up and coming. You watch them, their work is tight and beautiful.  I love to work with the textures they make.  I can not wait to get the pages I have made printed.  This was done as a kind of shocker, and I admit, I had to giggle when I got a comment at DST, that I looked real good.  tee hee...

 credits

This next one is not a CT layout, it is one I have been working on for a few months, my boys playing risk, I used so many different kits, and even gasp bought a few! lol

 

credits

I love my friends blog top! Pressed Petals

My real life friend over at Pressed Petals has the coolest top to her blog.

 

I love hers because it just like her family, down to her delightful Mary Janes! I made my kids pose today with their new shoes.  We drove to Vacaville, about an hour to an outlet mall.  They have Vans at a screaming good price, and buy one and get the other at 1/2 price.  Some of them are only $10! I was so happy.  I know my kids love these shoes, and the last ones the boys got, well they lasted double what their shoes usually last. 

I had them on the swing out front, and since they were feeling so grateful for the shoes, I took advantage and took more pictures:

Aw, come on guys, pretend to be happy!

They are killing me!

No, I think they want to kill me!

Okay you all win! 

LIttle Punks!

The really do gang up on me!

Tangie guesting at the Orchard!

I am totally into art journaling, and Tangie Baxter has a new Anthology available at the Orchard right now:

I wanted to play with the Altered ARTspiration challenge at SBG, and figured, do the quote and pop this in over at Scrap Orchard, and see how the peeps there react to art journaling? tee hee

I admit, I scrap for the pure sake of scrapping, I love to make pretty pages, I love to make pages for designers, and am really touched to make pages for some remarkable ladies!
Last week, I started my first week, being a CT for ViVa Artistry, this is two ladies, Vivienne and Vanessa, that combined, ewwwwwwwwww girl, the talent and wonder that is made. I admit I had been stalking the ViVa ladies, and didn't see them have calls, so was quite happy being accepted to be a permanent CT with the awesome Digi Chicks.  Then there was a call for ViVa, I couldn't even apply, I was not wanting a reject letter! Yeah, I get them and man, they are just a rip to the pride (probably a good thing for me). They asked me!!! Oh I was toooooooooooo happy. So, I had downloaded the fun kit: Spring Love when it was free over at 5stars, but I need that CT deadline to actually scrap, it is just how I scrap!

I wanted to do something completely different, and I feel that I have that freedom with ViVa, so I did some blending and clipped to elements in the add-on:

 I took a picture of the first robin, and this is just the beginning of beautiful days of Spring in California:

For some reason, blogger is fighting me.  I will be back with more later!

Chicken Chronicles 2011

Yes, we have chickens.  We had 4, and one died in front of us wheezing and sucking air. That was strange and sad as my little girl watched it and it was "her chicken".  We made it through the death and have been collecting 3 or 4 eggs a day, which in our home is a great blessing.  The lady (Janiece)who gave us the chickens has a lot of chickens just free ranging on her land.  There was a batch that hatched and she offered us a chick.  I am such a goombie softie with my kids. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do the mean look pretty good, but man a chick, they would so love a chick and it's educational, right? 

Up the hill to get a chick, and now she said, we can have another hen too.  I am rather excited about this, because that means instant more eggs! We went before bible study, as we pick up Lisa for bible study and she lives with her Janiece.  

Please enjoy the video for your viewing pleasure! This is just the chase for the baby chick.  They were eventually successful in the capture of said chick, but it was one hilarious adventure.  We decided to come back after bible study when it was dark and capture the other hen.  

We go home for bible study.  Song service, about 30 minutes into the study, I can hear the chick's chirp in the front yard, loud and frantic.  Dad nods and the kids go to capture the escaped chick.  Apparently, our cat, Lady Fluffypants was on the prowl and was going for a bible study chick fillet! The kids cornered it and recaught the chick. Back into the cage, light on to keep warm and finish bible study.  The chick settled down and slept. We had hens still to catch. 

The evening captures were much easier as the chickens are all roosting and they fall asleep, very deep sleep, and if you shine a flashlight right in their eyes they are all disorientated you just pluck them right off where ever they are sitting. But you still have to be quiet, not run, and sneak up on them.  This was harder for the kids than you would think. ha ha.  Anna grabbed the first one, and was feeling rather proud of herself. Janiece then says, "you guys can have another one." I think she is just enjoying the hunt and watching the kids, I know I am laughing.  Gabriel and Abby go to the front yard and Gabe looks at the rose bushes and just like it was a flower, plucks a tiny black hen from the bush.  One in the hand that was in the bush! ha ha (foreshadow of the end of this tale) 

 This is the the pickin's for the chickens!! lol the chickens were not cooperating!

 So Lisa went and put some food out, but the chicks were very wary of my 4 children, that can not walk slow anywhere, they are always in full speed ahead.

 

Abby is explaining that she almost got one!

 They are about to give up! I am done, and the chickens have taken off to the lower pasture! We will have to be satisfied with the chick for now and come back that night for the adult chickens.

 Houdini, before named.  She (we hope it is a she) in her box with light on.

Our neighbors 3 or 4 houses down, used to have roosters.  Roosters or cock fighting is a big no-no here, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.  Roosters are very beautiful. The people had this very intricate coops for them.  They gave them to my children. Eric spearheaded the project and they took them apart and see that wood in the back? They used an extension ladder and that wood and slid them up the fence and then back down to get them in the back yard! Pretty ingenious!

 So, my back yard looks like a junkyard, again.  I go through this about 4 times a year, bellowing about it, and shaking my head each time I go out.

 Eric assured me, they would have the coops up in one day.  All three, no worries mom, why is mom still worried? I should never worry. 

 Well, the truss rebuilt didn't work, and Dad had just got off work, so he gave some advice and then jumped into help. This makes my kids beam with happiness! They love when Dad helps!!

 Securing a home for the baby chick was the utmost at this time, because Houdini had escaped to many times, and was beating the snot out of her head jumping up into the wire.  Chickens are dumb, chickens are dumb.

 The little pagoda was the quickest fix, so tightening it up and getting the roof on, went pretty quick.

 

Houdini in her new home til she is big enough to stand her own with Big Momma and the girls.  At this point we still don't have the renegade black hens, they are still roaming the streets! Gangsta Hens!

 Here is a glimpse of where Big Momma and the girls sleep, it is our first coop, making it flat was not a good idea, due to the rain in California!!

 The following Monday, after Dad got off work (hence the target uniform) finishing or at least getting the last two together was on the goals. 

 The one in the corner with the pitched round roof? They had to rebuild that completely backwards, each piece had to go exactly right.  It was a jig saw puzzle that screwed together.  Then Tony rebuilt trusses for the roof or the rectangle coop. 

 Anna is on the ground reading to the chick, so she gets used to our voices.

 Here is Big Momma and the girls just hanging out enjoying the freedom!

Next  read about how the black chickens that escaped are captured and then escape and the daring recapture! oh my