Garden Project

So first up, an explanation of this page: I'm taking Jessica Sprague's "Beautiful Evidence" class right now. It's a 20 page album and right now we are in the "me" chapter. Each page starts out as a complete layered template from Jessica and unless you change things up, you add the suggested pages from the included kit and then just plug in your own photos. I like the way she did things, so I'm not bothering to change much of anything (except the shade of green on this page, it didn't match!). I LOVE that I have the 20 templates to use again and again. For those of you who aren't digi (yet, evil laughter): It's like a Becky Higgins/FLeck/whoever sketch on STEROIDS:) Oh, and the pictures here are mostly from 2006.

Ok, on to our garden. The original 9 (!) cubic yards of mulch has almost long since disintegrated, disappeared, composted, whatevered, so I had 4 cubic yards (still "!") delivered on Friday. Michael (and me too) loved watching the dump truck dump it on our driveway and talked about it all day to anyone who would listen, including the teachers and other moms at school when we picked up Christopher that afternoon, lol.

Normally the grass is Jeff's domain and the flowers mine (and each of us is firmly convinced he/she has the worst end of the deal), but Jeff kindly agreed to help with the backbreaking work. He hauled the majority, I spread the majority, and I'd say we're more than halfway done. Just the center section of our huge garden area in the backyard, the smaller close-to-the-house section of the backyard, and the very small west side yard left to do. I also got a ton of weeding and a bit of trimming (hoping for a normal, not early frost!) done today. Already have the waste management called to come get the yard waste on Monday. Whew!

For anyone left reading: Any ideas on rabbit-proof fencing? I'd like an absolutely rabbit-proof fence around my huge garden to the north of my house. The bunnies like my burning bushes (although they are larger now and not quite as tempting), basil, lianthus, and "miniature hollyhocks" and will kill them if I'm not careful. Jeff is not really keen on the idea of having to put in such an expanse of fence so I'm thinking I might hire it done either this fall or next spring. If I could REALLY rabbit-proof it, I could grow lettuces/spring mix and save a bundle of money, plus have petunias (which I adore but cannot grow except in a pot b/c they won't last 12 hours with the damn bunnies) again!

Week 31 and 32

Week 32: SB the values your parents passed to you or that you will pass to your children.
JWD Complete Boy paper
JWD Nostalgia 1 ribbon
JWD Messy Mended Circles
Brandy Hackman Mod Bungalow striped paper, torn alpha, and "good memories"
Meredith Fenwick September Afternoon alpha
Amanda Sok Ponder torn border
Syndee Nuckles Cinnamon Suede flowers
Katie Pertiet Curled Journal Spots
Pea Kristin font


Week #31: SB a day in your life
Katie Pertiet Ad Challenge 8/22/09 (template)
JWD Benjamin paper
JWD Academy solids paper
JWD Laundry Line tied hanger tag
JWD Clear Day alpha
Tracy Ann "First Love" (metal star)
Angie Briggs Dirt Road felt circles


I hope you can read the journaling on this one...just commemorating all the chattering DS does on the way to the neighboring town where I belong to the YMCA and exercise. I put our whole typical school day routine at the bottom.

Might as Well Catch Up!

Week #25: This week, create a layout telling us about your current fashion style. Do you dress to the shoes every day? Do you lounge around in your sweats? Does your high powered job require you to wear a sassy suit, or maybe even a lab coat? Tell us about the real you!

Your layout must include at least one of each item:
Photo (maybe of you, maybe not!)
Frame
Button
Shade of Blue
Handwritten font
Journaling - because we NEED to know why you dress the way you do!

Journaling: WIth my bright red hair I tend to be drawn to similarly loud and fun colors in my clothing, though I have my fair share of neutrals in my closet as well. This home brought me my life-long dream of a walk-in-closet, which I have organized by dress clothes versus casual, and ROYGBV order. If I were richer, perhaps I’d indulge in a few more trendy clothes, but I do like my fare from Target, Eddie Bauer, Christopher & Banks, and even (gasp) Goodwill. I do love a good bargain, though will not spend inordinate amounts of time looking for one. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea where to shop in a large city. Someone would have to show me. Actually, that would be fun to have a (free) personal shopper to show me the things that would look best on me and help find bargains:)If it’s not comfortable, youwon’t find me wearing it!I was so sad when The Savvy Shopper closed here in Ames. It was a small, locally-owned outlet store on Main Street and had SUPER trendy clothing at deep discounts because it was the last of its kind, or a sample, or whatever. God I loved that place and most of my “modern” dress clothes and many of my favorite casual clothes came from there. My favorite is my pair of lime green Italian suede mules. Jewelry-don’t get me started. After no jewelry purchases for at least ten years, I went wild after being invited to a Premier Designs, and later, a Silpada jewelry party. LOVE my lime green jewelry (complete with ring).
JWD Messy Mending stitching
JWD Being Collection (live out loud)
JWD Totally Girl (frame)
JWD Project 52 Unchartables Paper set
JWD Laundry Line Garment Tags
JWD Beginnings Hand Coloured Bloom Starters (flower)
JWD Delighted (buttons)
Pea Kristin font


Week #26: Everyday duties
JWD Gracie -background paper
JWD Little Agendas
JWD Complete Boy stitching
JWD Nostalgia 1 -lock
Diane Miller Cozy -house
Brandy Hackman -Pressed Petals (freebie)
Melissa Renfro Well Loved -purple paper for letters
A Work in Progress (Vicki) -Great Outdoors tag alpha and staple
Ck Becky and Cooper Light fonts


Week#27: Scrapbook a gadget you just can't live without
There are some distinct advantages to having a PA mama handy at all times. So far William has had a clean bill of health, but I have prescribed antibiotics for Christopher and Michael when they had ear infections. Thank goodness for my otoscope!

JWD Caring paper and ribbon
JWD Daily Dose Prescription journaling block
Erica Hite Love Always lace
Brandy Murry Ephemera stitched lace
Valerie Randall 2 Health otoscope, physician assistant, and ear infection word art
Raspberry Road Take Care (medical symbol)
MA Sexy and CK Becky fonts
My own handwriting on the Wacom tablet


Week #28: This was supposed to be a "why you love your family" aka sappy (lol) layout but I had JUST done a family photo page with a bunch of journaling. So I did mine event-oriented:) Part of the challenge was including journaling on why you love your family, so the journaling is a bit different than I'd normally put on a vacation page:
We’ll never win an award for the calmest familiy, or the most well-behaved, but I love our zany adventures and wild spirits and the fun we have (in between breaking up kid fights that is:)
We began our South Dakota adventure in Dinosaur Park, full of fun statues to explore and climb. We enjoyed the walk up the hill, the views to Rapid City below, and the fact that it’s a rare FREE tourist attraction:)
JWD Graphic Tagboard No 1 (dinosaur word art)
JWD Nostalgia No 1 (cream paper)
JWD Laundry Line Zachery papers
Melissa Renfro Extinct Collection
Brandy Hackman Retro All Boy brads
Jan Hicks Coin Folder Chip Styles
Scrap Orchard I'm with the Band button/string
Heather Roselli Keep Out string tie


Week #29 at Jen Wilson Designs: Scrap your favorite summer food(s). I think you should be able to read the words, if you are so inclined, if you "bigify" the picture:)
JWD Photo Masked Starters
JWD Complete Boy 01
JWD Beginning 02
JWD Laundry Line Fern
JWD Totally Girl 01
JWD His Tuesday Attire
JWD Picknicks Summerish Word Stickers
ScrapGirls Relax (lemonade, watermelon and ribbon, picnic basket)
Erica Hite DaddyO freebie (grill)
Amanda Sok Nostalgia photo mask
Dani Mogstad Happy Camper (cookout)
Dani Mogstad Fun in the Sun (popsicle paper)
Carina Gardner Parisco A La Carte Word Art (ice cream)
Amanda McGee Country Garden (seed packets, tomatoes, bucket)
Nitwit Collections All Fired Up (ribbon)
Sarah Batdorf Deep Shadows action
Ribbon ties from: Robin Carlton Huckleberry Ice Cream, Brandy Murry Ephemera, Scrap Orchard freebie, Amanda McGee Happy Family & Jake & Emma, A. Slagle Happy Camper, Eva Kipler Inner Wild Child

I'm a Camping Widow

Jeff is off on (I think) his 5th annual cousins and uncles trip to the Boundary Waters (BWCA). Christopher is going along for the first time. Several other cousins have brought their boys at around that age. Why not girls/wives, you ask. Well let me tell you...supposedly what happens in the BWCA stays in the BWCA, but I've heard JUST enough about bodily function noises, snoring at night, and purported mooning (and I'm not talking about the sky) that I don't think any of the women in their right minds would want to go.

Now that said, I LOVE what Jeff has said about the NATURE aspects of the BWCA and I would indeed like to go with my own family someday! :) The boys left 7am Friday and won't be back until sometime late next Saturday. I work ALL weekend at the ER next weekend so won't have much of any time to hear their stories right away:(

Michael is enjoying his time away from Christopher. They are really good at fighting with each other. Knock down drag out wrestling, hitting, pinching, yelling, and fighting over toys and privileges. Not fun. So while I miss Christopher, I do NOT miss the fighting! It's been quite peaceful here, actually:) I can only hope absence makes the heart grow fonder and that they might appreciate each other more when they are back together *snort*

William definitely misses them both. C spends a fair amount of time talking to and playing with Will, so I am putting forth more effort at keeping him entertained:)

Badlands

For week #30 over at Jenn Wilson Designs (scrap a vacation photo, use color yellow, a button and/or butterfly, 4 patterned papers, and a mask instead of a frame)
JWD Laundry Line Tyler
JWD Rough Beginnings word art
JWD His Road Trip
JWD Signs of Summer
JWD Project 52 Slightly Imperfect photo mask
JWD Complete Boy
JWD Camp Out
JWD Tagboard (compass)
Katie Pertiet Notebook Edged Photo Mask
Erica Hite Bookworm alpha (tabs)
Misty Cato Chatty alpha (black button alpha)
Cheryl Barber Sew Simple Embellishments
buttons from:
JWD Delighted
Brandy Murry Ephemera (also the key)
Brandy Hackman Persian Breeze
Shabby Miss Jenn Little Buckaroos