favorite layouts of 2010

We are taking it easy around here today- one of my kids is not feeling well and I know that because we're staying home from a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese for one of her favorite people in the world, her little friend, Ryan. We've been looking forward to this since we got the invitation but just a few minutes ago Sarah said that she didn't think we should go- she has a really bad productive cough and a bit of a fever...so sad, but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes. We'll have to schedule a play date for them soon.

As is my end-of-the-year tradition now I thought I'd post my favorite scrapbook pages from the last year. It was hard for me to narrow them down to just 12, and a lot of these are more recent ones- I hope that you don't tire of seeing them.

Anyway, here they are in no particular order:

Have a great day and have a Happy New Year!

happy birthday, Sarah

It is hard to believe that this little girl is five years old today.

She is such as spunky thing, a little too feisty sometimes but we love her for it.

She was so anxious to come into this world; my husband joked with me on the way into the hospital that morning five years ago saying that we'd be out of there in a couple of hours. Because it took SO long with Hailey I didn't believe he was right...but it took about an hour and a half and it only took that long because we had to wait until the doctor got there!

We had a party for her last night; in the morning we shopped for a cake because a homemade one just wouldn't do for her this year, silly girl. She had a couple of things that she REALLY wanted for her birthday- a pink piggy bank and a scooter. Little did she know we'd stashed those away for her. We had fun celebrating with cousins, aunts and uncles and half of the grandparents before some headed home to Houston this morning.

Here is a look at Sarah over the years (no, they're not in order):

(anyone recognize this paper? It's "vintage" Cosmo Cricket)

I think these pages give you a glimpse into what a silly, sweet, funny, full-of-life girl Sarah is. 

We love you, Sarah, and hope that you have a wonderful birthday!

how about some more American Crafts?

How was your Christmas?

I hope that you had a wonderful time with family and friends.

Today I'm going to share a page that I created using the City Park collection from American Crafts.

These pictures were taken this fall when we went to the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I am just now getting around to scrapping them but think that the City Park line was MADE for pictures like these. It's such a fun and versatile collection.

and a couple of detail shots:

Have a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas and a page for American Crafts

Merry Christmas Eve to you, and to those of you who celebrate ON Christmas Eve,  I hope that you are having a wonderful day.

For those of you who have had sick kids like we have here, I am so, so sorry. It's a heck of a way to spend the holidays.

Just a quick post today since it's only 3:30 in the morning; I fell asleep around 8 with Aimee who's been sick and then woke up at 2 after Matt came home. He's been working on a top-secret project for the girls at his parents' house this week and it's finally done. I just hope that they LOVE it since he has spent so many hours making it for them.

Here's a simple page I made using some fun pictures of Sarah and American Crafts products:

Merry Christmas!

how about a couple of January kit sneaks from My Scrapbook Nook?

I know that Christmas isn't "officially" here but a little bit of Christmas arrived early for me when this January kit from My Scrapbook Nook came in the mail the other day.

Leah has posted a couple of sneaks for this kit on the message board at the Nook so I thought I'd share them with you here:

Gorgeous, huh? It's the new Hot Chocolate collection from Fancy Pants with bling from Queen and Co, alphas from American Crafts, pleated ribbon and much more. I can't wait to scrap with this one.

This kit includes:

Fancy Pants Hot Chocolate Paper
Making Memories Velvet Trim
American Crafts Nutmeg Thickers in Pearly White
Maya Road Pom Pom Trim
Queen & Co Swirl and Snowflake Bling
Queen & Co Glitter Brads
Fancy Pants Border and Element Stickers
Fancy Pants Hot ChocolateAlphabet
2 Fancy Pants Die Cut papers

making treats today

I did some last-minute Christmas shopping and today I am making treats- lots of them!

We are making fudge (my fave) and gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies and maybe some brownie bites and whatever else we come up with.

It seems we are so far behind this year- I am still decorating the tree this morning and have yet to send out a single Christmas card. I hope that people are forgiving- between me being so sick from this pregnancy even now, the girls taking turns being sick (Hailey had a 102 fever last night) and class parties and activities and other things to do I have just fallen behind. So, things might be a little late this year but we are doing the best we can.

What is your favorite Christmas treat?

p.s. here is something fun; Caroline Ikeji mentions my Jillibean Soup layout as one that has caught her eye:
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/events/12-20-days-of-holiday-sharing/

fresh snow

We haven't gotten any snow yet this year- we might get some today and I find that I keep looking out the window to see if it's here yet.

Last year we got a fun Christmas Day surprise- lots and lots and lots of snow. That was the best Christmas present ever for me. I miss being in Boise and having snow during the wintertime.

Do you remember this, west Texas people?

Now we don't get a whole lot of snow here so this was a lot to us. 

Sarah was sick at Christmas so we kept her inside (much to her dismay) but Hailey sure had a lot of fun playing in all of that snow. She and Matt even made a snowman!

Since it will probably be 50-60 degrees for Christmas this year at least we have last year's pictures to help us remember what it's like to have snow at Christmas. Who knows? Maybe we'll wake up to a nice surprise. 

Here is Hailey in another Jillibean Soup layout:

And some detail shots:

gloves cut from some Christmas Chestnut Soup paper. I still love those corrugated alphas!

A little bit of misting (Studio Calico red and Maya Road brown), canvas star and cute twine.

Had to sneak in one of those cute kraft shipping tags, too, and some Cool Beans- about to be extinct. Jill isn't selling those anymore so if you find some anywhere be sure to snatch them up (the buttons). Canvas star, too. 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

p.s. it's snowing!!!

and sharing yet another Jillibean project

Today I have a layout to share with you! This page is up on the Jillibean Soup blog today along with another I created in case you'd like to take a look.

http://jillibeansoup.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/12/lay.html

This was a fun page to make; I used some of this year's Christmas Chestnut Soup along with Monster Stew, Egg Drop Soup and some of Grandma's Christmas Soup (from last year, one of my favorite Jillibean collections EVER). The cheery pictures of Aimee made me smile and I just HAD to scrap them.

Here's a look:

and some detail shots:

I cut this cute Santa birdie from Grandma's Christmas Soup paper and then added some Stickles to the hat.

Trees and stars cut from the patterned paper as well. 

I had fun doing LOTS of hand cut work on this page and I think that those big stars are what make the page. That and sweet Aimee, of course. 

p.s. I have a project up on the American Crafts blog today, too. 

http://americancrafts.typepad.com/studio/2010/12/altered-basket-by-becky.html#comments