*** In the Cookie Jar ***

Hey there bloggers! I hope you've had a good weekend. We've been a little under the weather here, so it was a quiet weekend in. In the past few weeks I've found myself admiring (and following!) a new blogger - her blog focuses on home decor & I just LOVE her style. It reminds me of what I *want* my home to feel like. If you want to check out Karla - click HERE to head over to "It's the little things that make a house a home."

I have been incredibly inspired by her journey to fill the cookie jar for her kids - just for the pure fact of having cookies for the kids to enjoy! It's being that Mom!  So this Sunday evening my boys & I started our own journey - to fill up our cookie jar once a week. This weekend we made snickerdoodles with the recipe that was shared on the It's the little things blog. Snickerdoodles are one of my husbands favorites & ones that I've never made for Logan - so it seemed the perfect place to start!

It was so much FUN to bake with the boys for no reason! We mixed, we rolled, we baked & we filled up the jar as a family!! It was relaxing & yummy!! What better way to start off a new week?!? Please leave a comment if you want to join in on filling up your families cookie jar with me!

*** Eeni, Meanie, Mani, Pedi! ***

The Marine Corps ball is just around the corner & this year a few friends and I are having a Spa party beforehand. Manicures & Pedicures for all! I needed to get my invites out this week so the past couple of days have been dedicated to getting them ready! After I finished them up, all I could think of was a matching cute favor. I am so pleased with how they all turned out!! The favors are just so cute!! Please don't mind the blurriness on the invitations where I blurred out some personal information! :-)

Don't you just love a big bowl of party favors?! I know I do! They are so pink & so fun!! I'm still thinking of some other fun little touches I can use for the party - so keep an eye out for more!! :-)

~ Team Edward ~

Hey there bloggers!! I was just uploading some photos & wanted to share my card for  Practical Scrappers lace challenge. I knew when I saw the challenge was lace that I wanted to incorporate a Cricut cut that people may not think to use as they normally would! Why not take a intricate cut, oversize it & use it like a lace overlay?? Talk about using what you have! Lace cardstock is expensive, but I was able to create my spiderweb "lace" with  my Cricut, Paper Doll Dress Up & black scrap paper! Of course, since we're using spiderwebs, that means I can bring out my favorite stamp - Edward!! Here he is in all his DAZZLING glory!

And on another Halloweenie note - here's our mini monogrammed pumpkins :-) I just LOVE them!! They are sooo cute & sooo me!

 

 That's all for tonight bloggers - I'm taking a shower & getting some shut eye! Check in tomorrow (Yep! I did some crafting!!) to see this years Christmas cards as well as my Ball Spa Party invitations!!

* * * October Update * * *

Hey bloggers! It's been a few days - I know!! I'm sorry I haven't been in my swing of things (that I JUST got back into!) but I've been exhausted!! I don't know what's keeping me so busy (2 1/2 yr old, puppers, husband, housework, friends, ,crafts, Cafe world - lol) but I have felt like I just haven't been able to keep up! Bummer! Today I did have a great RELAXING day - shopping & dinner & dessert & FUN! I was able to get the easel for my new tile, it looks AMAZING! I'll post new photos tomorrow - need good lighting!
:-)

I am going to *try* to get back on track this weekend. It's an off weekend for Kevin. Wish me luck!! I PROMISE some blog posts so don't forget to come visit!!

Always & Forever

Three days in a row!! What do you think about that bloggers!?! I know it's a little late for most of you, but here in Hawaii it's only 7 pm! I just finished up this project tonight! I will *try* to get a better picture in the light tomorrow, but for now - this is what I've got!! I am in LOVE with the look of the tile & I can't wait to figure out how to display it in my bedroom!!!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see my Practical Scrappers Lace Cardstock entry - along with a better picture *hopefully* of my tile!

~ Aunt Erin's Here! ~

Hey there bloggers!! Two posts in one day!!! Now I'm getting good! LOL!! ;-) I was going to post this layout tomorrow but since I've gotten started on a few more things that I plan on finishing up, I'll have plenty to share then!! I was so excited to share this one!!

I am SO in love with this layout! I pushed my usual "reservations" when I scrap - the colors from the photos & their outfits don't mandate what the background papers colors are. That's usually one of my first ways to choose. I picked out this paper for Logan's gymnastics layout - but ended up forgetting I had it & going with another paper! It turned out better than I had planned with this paper - so it was all for the best!! I really think this layout TOTALLY talks to their personalities!! I need to add a journaling tag, but it'll be hidden behind one of the photos! :-) I hope you enjoy! I know I LOVE it!! This bottom picture is one of my favorites EVER of them!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow (3 days in a ro!! Wooohoo!) to see what I've been working on today! :-) Till then bloggers!!

~ Beach Buddies ~

Hey there bloggers!! Two posts in a row - I'm getting back into my groove of things! I wanted to share with you all a layout that I actually finished up yesterday. For this layout, I "sketched" it on my new Gypsy when I was laying in bed not falling asleep on night a few weeks ago. I had a TON of fun getting to know my Gypsy and playing around with sketches on it. In the upcoming months, you'll see a few more layouts that have sketches waiting for them on the Gypsy! I could have easily done the same with Cricut Design Studio, but I don't think it's as "easy" as this was for me! (Maybe I just love the stylus! LOL! Dragging images on the Gypsy is TOO fun!!) Here's my original sketch. I know the title is a bit "bunched" up - I separated that before cutting!

Here's how my actual layout turned out! I am really pleased!! I think it turned out almost exactly how I had imagined it when I originally "sketched" it. Once I chose my papers & colors, it was easy to size, cut & adhere it all together! After doing this layout start to finish on my Gypsy- I really can say that I think it will definitely maximize my crafting time!

Check back tomorrow to see what scrapping progress I made throughout the weekend!! Till then bloggers! Happy Saturday!