May Kit, Special.....and a new team!

We have been pretty busy at the Nook!

Having a little design team call and such.

So excited to be remaining on the team and welcoming in a few new girls ;)

Erika Gasser
Aleksandra Gadji
Patricia Roebuck
Bente Fagerberger

Returning Designers

 Leah Killian
Stacey Michaud
Carol Monson
Danni Reid
Jessy Christopher
Katarina Damm-Blomberg
Hilde Aaslund
Anna Sigga
Marinette Lefevre
Lilith Eckles
Shellye McDaniel
Pamella Brown
Gina Rodgers
Deanna Misner
Nicole Nowosad

The May kit has also been shipped.  It's beautiful and fun and lovely and I couldn't wait to jump in ;)

 

We've also got another amazing special to offer new subscribers

Join in May and receive June for FREE along w/a free June Grab Bag. You only pay the shipping for your free kit and grab bag!!!! You will also receive another free kit after 12 paid months!!! Two FREE kits and a grab bag when you sign up for 12 months!!!!!

Head on over to see the grab bag ;) 

Here's my first layout using Echo Parks This and That Graceful

My sweet little Samantha just days old.

The Times.....

they are a changing.

issues have come to light.......and we are responding by getting rid of all of this stuff.

We are celebrating wheat fest at our house this week, eating and enjoying all the crap we normally do.  Because next week....it's gonna be gone.

We are going Gluten Free.

No wheat; flour, pasta, oats, crackers, cereal, bread, tortilla's, cakes, cookies....etc.

Thankfully, there are substitutions for some of these things 

(it's going to take a little more effort on my part to learn how to feed my family again)

We anticipate this helping several members of our family with a variety of things....we are praying this helps, it's very important.

Kristen was none too happy about the plan, until we discovered that betty crocker chocolate frosting, is indeed, gluten free.  She says she can handle it now.

Jack is pretty upset about ramen noodles.

what can you do.

I have been doing a lot of research and talking to friends.....we can do this.

When you are desperately looking for answers and they fall in your lap....what can you do, but follow them.  We feel we have been lead to this solution and are praying for it's success.

And besides.....i love THEM waaaaay more than food ;)

oh, and look who got instagram on her droid!!!!

ah yaaaaaa!!!!!

my new favorite thing....instant photo's.....that look cool too!!!

A Title Class

I taught a class last week over at the Nook using our April kit, Crate Storyteller.

It's all about titles.....and finding inspiration and making them a fun part of your layout.

Here are the layouts I made for the challenge.....hop on over to the NOok and check it out.....there IS a little prize involved ;)

 "I flew across the ocean to see what i could see"

another Hawaii layout ;)

 "You were born an original"

I've been hoarding these pics of Jack for a while now,  I love them so.  

And don't be surprised if I use them again sometime ;)

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On another note, I haven't scrapped in about 2 weeks.

Life has sucked it right out of me....but I am desperately ready to find it again.

Being creative is so relaxing and rejuvenating for me.

I think that's one of the reasons I "make" or  "find" the time to do it.

It's just important.

Some people may take naps, or go shopping, or heaven forbid, clean to find their happy place.

For me, it's sitting at my desk.

I need to go find my happy place today ;)

Wish me luck!

Happy Tuesday!!

Saying Goodbye

to Get Picky ;(

I'm really bummed.

the  challenge site is closing down.

it's been so fun and I've felt like I've created some of my most favorite layouts here.

I have one last challenge to share with you.......and it's a nice way to finish off.

Our challenge was to  scrap about someone who inspires us.  For me that was easy....it's all the amazing women that surround my everyday life.  I am so lucky to have such a vast network of friends here in my little community.  These women are some of my most favorite people in the whole world.  They are strong, and brave, courageous and such good examples to me.  I love them.

It also doesn't hurt they the secretly connived to throw me a little 40th birthday party.  I was so touched, really I was.  It was such a fun night!!!

 "beautiful people don't just happen"

There was another time in my life when I felt surrounded by these kinds of women.  Where I felt loved and encouraged and lifted up.  When we moved I felt like I would never experience that again.  It truly is a special thing.  It took quite a few years and another move to discover it again....but it did happen again and I'm so grateful.  I really love my community and my friends.  

Here is our inspiration prompt......I used the last line as my title.

Spring Break

we partied.

we had fun together as a family.

we went bunny watching.

we ate pancakes.

we rocked out to some Christmas music one morning just because we could ;)

we sewed crafts.

we worked in the yard and ripped stuff out.

we went to Legoland ;)

Took a quick trip to southern cal and ate lots of good food.

we really did have SO much fun ;)

see.....

We went knowing that Jack would probably enjoy this place MORE than anyone.  

He is a lego fan to say the least.

 But even big kids know how to fun...even if the ride is barely off the ground ;)

However, this kind of ride is right up Kristens alley ;)

This on the other hand....is a little more the speed of these two rollercoaster crazies!

This thing threw them all around and upside down and sideways.

Jack and daddy back there had a calmer version of this craziness.

This was the funnest part for me.

The city scapes.

Made out of lego's....duh.

So freakin' cool, all the buildings and stuff made out of legos

This is my fave.

She is seriously cracking me up.

Completely embarrassed to be caught alive on this little kiddie ride that we made  her go on with Jack, who, on the other hand couldn't have been happier galloping through the forest fighting knights and such.

and best of all...when the kids went back to school and everyone asks if you did anything fun over spring break......for once they could say YES!!!!