Battle of the Creative Teams- Weeks 1 and 2

DigiscrapAddicts.com is sponsoring a little contest called Battle of the Creative Teams. Groups of creative team members from digi-designers and stores are competing, and I’m participating with 4 of my friends from Jessica Bolton’s team. Each week we are given a challenge of some sort and we have to coordinate some aspect(s) of our layouts.

Week 1 The challenge was to do a white space layout, and to choose a common color scheme to coordinate all of them. As an extra challenge we could choose a common theme of some sort; we chose ‘favorite something’ as ours. and here is my LO a bit closer:

Journaling lines read:
10 teeny-tiny toes
fingers that won't let go
oh so blue eyes
kissable nose
the sweetest smile ever
My favorite parts of you, Brenna
credits: Everything from Eclectic Scraps by Jessica Bolton.
available at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns.com:
Unamused Boys Vol 2: blue background paper, splatters taken from a second background paper
Little Darlin'Eclectic Mini: red heart, blue plaid fabric square
Home Life Eclectic Kit: blue paint, blue arrow
Eclectic Needs Variety Basic-n-More Stiches: brown stitch lines
Pastiche for the Boys|Flowers 4 His Girl: red and blue flower petals
Teeny-tiny Torn Tags: tag and staple
Delight in Photos Vol 3: year tag
PooChi|elements: brown ribbon
available at scrapbookgraphics.com:
Impressions of Fatherhood: Wings
Not currently available:
Just Another Memory, newsletter freebie: blue yarn stitches
Eclectic Needs Variety- Buttons: neutrals (brown) and primary (red)
Make Me Eclectic elements: photo quote bar (recolored)
fonts: Baby Boston

Week 2 The assignment was to have a musical theme of some sort for the team’s layouts. We chose the song ‘100 Years’ by Five For Fighting, and each chose one of the numbers from the song as the inspiration for our layout. Obviously I chose 67.

journaling: I’ve found the saying that time goes faster as you get older to be so very true. It hardly seems possible that my teenage years are well behind me now and I’m in middle-age. I can’t help but wonder what the years ahead will hold and how I will handle them. I hope I can follow the example of all of the ladies in my family who have come before me- coping with grace and dignity at the struggles of life. Finding themselves suddenly alone, starting a career after years at home with children, but still able to enjoy and appreciate life.
everything by Jessica Bolton
available at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns.com:
Whatever Mama: Oversize Flourish paper (recolored), glitter stroke, pinned tag
Little Darlin'Eclectic Mini: lace and yellow ribbon
Bloomin Eclectic: violet yellow dot paper, journaling label
Bohemian Peddler Eclectic Mini: unlined notepaper, plain curled frame
available at scrapbookgraphics.com:
IO Romance: pink linen paper (used to recolor Oversize Flourish paper)
Funky Train: distressed brown paper
Not currently available:
Brighten Up Winter: white alpha, blue bead, folded twine, wooden flower, leaf
Make Me Eclectic: floral tapestry paper (recolored), wood frame
Thrifty Solids No. 5: maroon and faded navy papers (used to recolor floral tapestry paper)
Dressed Up Jeans: pearl button
font: CK Becky

We’re working on week 3 layouts right now, so I’ll be back with those later.

New web address for the Alfred H. Locke B24 crew website

Dale let me know a couple of months ago that geocities had informed him that they would be shutting down in the near future and that we would need to move the crew website I put together for us. I’ve been doing some looking around at options and finally settled on weebly.com. Once I got started moving the files over, I just kept going until I got it all done. I think I heard Dale’s sigh of relief all the way from St.Louis this evening that it is taken care of. I didn’t see a way to import the backup files I managed to get with the help of a friend-of–a-friend, so I had to build it all again from scratch. Weebly just upgraded their editor capability and speed last week, and I was pleasantly surprised at how fast it all went. It will be easier to edit this site too, so hopefully I can keep it up to date better now.

Here is the new address: http://alfredhlockeb24crew.weebly.com/index.html
You can leave comments on the blog there, if you like. They use a blog instead of a formal guestbook. I got some aerial photos of one of the crew’s actual missions from a site visitor a while back. Hopefully I can find them and get them added to the site soon.

Update your bookmarks now because once geocities shuts down in October sometime the previous website there will just be gone.

The ABCs of Sarah

Finally, only 10 months late, I have finished Sarah’s ABC album and she has a book of her own and doesn’t have to borrow her sisters’ albums and pretend that she is the one in the pictures. It seems there are never enough pictures of herself to look at though as  now she keeps telling me that her baby album needs more pictures as there are still empty pages at the back LOL

Sarah's ABC album credits:
ABC templates by Janet Phillips DailyDigi Files 2
brown paper by Jessica Bolton, Outnumbered Girl
Hop, Skip, Jump by The-LilyPad Designers, DailyDigi Files 2
various elements by: Jacque Larsen, Kate Hadfield, Dani Mogstad, Kim Broedelet, Ellie Lash, Misty Cato, Trixie Scraps, Irene Alexeeva, Kristin Aagard, Berna Datema, Dede Smith, mle Card, Faith True, Krystal Hartley, Laura Deacetis, Lauren Grier, Flergs, Kaye Winieki, Madame Mim, LaurieAnnHGD, Valori Brown, Traci Reed, Annie Manning (Paint The Moon), Michelle Godin, Pamela Donnis, Weeds & Wildflowers, Tiff Brady, Saxon Holt, Christina Renee, MBatton, New Life Dreams, Bluebell Designs, Amy Hutchinson, Amy Sumrall, Laura Bratcher, Redju, Sweet Digi Scraps, Sausan Designs, Amanda Slagle (mandabean), ScrappinCop, Dianne Rigdon, Bren Boone, SaraAmarie, Shabby Miss Jenn, Lliella, Rachel Young, Bunny Cates

what we’ve been up to the last couple of weeks

I’ve been meaning to get my blog updated for the last couple of weeks and just haven’t gotten to it. We’ve been mostly doing the ‘usual’ stuff for this summer- transporting girls back and forth to dance classes, trying to keep up with the grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up. The kids run around the block to all of their different friends’ houses when we are at home. I took them to see the Hannah Montana movie at the second-run theater on Tuesday last week. Sarah is not my favorite company at movies. Once she was done eating her popcorn she was ready to go, and that was about the time the previews ended and the movie finally started. For the next two hours I had to keep telling her to sit down and be quiet and no, she couldn’t go to the bathroom (she uses it as something to do when she is bored). Maybe if we had chosen to see ‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ instead she would be have been better entertained. If the kids aren’t outside with their friends they are wanting to be on one of the computers or the Wii. Sarah has discovered the lure of the Wii and wants to play too now. She is improving at bowling, getting spares every once in a while., but most other games are still too hard for her though she doesn’t seem to care. I have to remind the older kids that it doesn’t matter how badly she does and to just let her try to do it by herself. Bryce has a really hard time with that as he can’t stand watching other people mess up LOL Mark is out hiking up and down Barr trail several times a week.

I’ve spent a lot of time designing, and most of that work I can’t show off yet since it is either unfinished or part of team collabs that aren’t ready for release. Here’s the main thing I worked on. I’ve been wanting to make a kit to go with the blue background with the stars all over it- that is part of the WWII memorial wall behind the reflecting pool at the monument. I’m quite happy with how the paper that has the Declaration of Independence on it came out, made from a souvenir reproduction I picked up on our vacation last year.

http://www.scrapdish.com/store/product.php?productid=3842&cat=0&page=1

and I did a few layouts somewhere in all of that above!

journaling: Kristen hosted her July 4th potluck again this year. It’s something we all look forward to- getting together to celebrate the 4th, eat lots of good food and enjoy company with friends we might not have seen in a while.
credits: Boom! Mini Kit by Holly McCaig at 2peasinabucket.com; Layered Up In You Scallops by Lauren Grier at SweetShoppeDesigns; fonts: Dirty Ego, CK Becky

journaling:   The military bases in town invited the public to their July 4th celebrations this year as the city had decided there was not enough money in the budget to hold the traditional celebration in Memorial Park. The Air Force Academy was planning to hold their party on the 4th, but as the weather was predicted to be rainy that evening we chose to attend the one held at Fort Carson on July 3. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic played, fireworks were exploded and all of the usual festival entertainments were present- it was just a different location. To me it doesn’t really matter the exact date or location, but the spirit in which you celebrate the event.
credits: from scrapbookgraphics.com: Template by Jen Caputo from Impressions of Mother Earth; Nightfall (blue paper), Mystery (blue frame wrap), and Blaze by Flergs; Dark Papers by ON Designs; Newsworthy Alpha by Birgit Kerr; Messy Glitter Sprays (retired) by Micheline Martin; gold stars from Stars & Stripes by Melinda Staley at scrapdish.com; flag from Freedom Trinkets by Shabby Miss Jenn at shabbymissjenndesigns.com; fonts: Bookman Old Style

  credits: Day at the Zoo by Phuong at scrapboographics; Studio Play Day freebie template by Hillary Heidleberg at scrapbookgraphics; fonts: Cezanne, Typewriter

journaling: One of the kids’ favorite things to do when visiting Grandmama was to take Rusty for a walk around the block. It was a good way to wear him out and after three circuits of the block this afternoon he was ready for us to go home so he could take his afternoon nap!
credits: Poo-Chi by Jessica Bolton at funkyplaygrounddesigns.com; Stepping Stones Template by Melinda Staley at scrapdish.com (coming soon); Doggie Bag templates by Kristi Westling at InspirationLane.com; fonts: Arial Narrow

journaling: Things are just too quiet at Grandmama’s house now that you aren’t there, Rusty. We knew you for such a short time. I know there are good reasons for why it was best for you to go to a new home. I think it takes more strength to do what you know is right, even when you don’t like it much, than to just go on. Grandmama is keeping in touch with your new family and making sure that you are adapting well. Maybe we will even get to see you again, though you might not remember us. We will remember you though and cherish the memories of your excitement to see us whenever we came through the door.
credits: Poo-Chi by Jessica Bolton at funkyplaygrounddesigns.com
fonts: CK June Bug Louise

Look Into My Eyes

We renewed our zoo membership yesterday afternoon and spent a couple of hours walking around looking at the animals, along with lots and lots of other people out enjoying the nice weather while it lasted. I thought this sign near the entrance was fitting to go with  the great pictures I got :)

 

A Joey Wallaby was available for petting. The docent said he was 10  months old.

The birds in the Budgie house were very active. There were several kinds I hadn’t seen before. There was a bright orange and black bird pair that I tried to get a picture of, but they wouldn’t hold still for me.

 

Carissa had a stick with a few seeds on it and was able to entice 3 different birds to join her for a minute with it.

The Grizzly Bears were having fun playing in their pool.

Lots of animals were running around in the Big Backyard.

They recently closed the Reptile House for future renovation, and I had wanted to get pictures of the colorful frogs that used to be housed there, so I was glad to find them located in the Hippo House now.  These first two pics are of the Panamanian Golden  Frogs, which according to their information sign are endangered in the wild because the Chytrid fungus has devastated their population. It is hoped that they can be repopulated from zoos once a preventative or cure for the fungus is found.

American Bullfrogs 

African Bullfrog- ick! They can get as big as dinner plates! Grandmama asked us if we thought kissing him would turn him into a prince when I showed her the picture while we were waiting for the fireworks to start LOL

The Komodo Dragon was up at the window watching everyone watch her.

Poison Arrow Frogs

One of the young orangutans showing off for his admirers on the other side of the glass, while his mother watches from below.

This Lion Tamarin was playing peek-a-boo with people.

 

and the truly exotic deer  (LOL) were spotted walking through the edge of the zoo as we were leaving. We actually spotted deer three times in various places yesterday, one even had a fawn the girls said though I didn’t see it.

P365: June 2009

credits: A Perfect Day by Flergs and Kaye Winieki at scrapbookgraphics; 365 Project Templates by Amy Pearson

 

It’s hard to believe the year is half over already!