Gavin's First Christmas

Boy, oh boy, are we having fun!  Everything that was old is new again! 

All kinds of "baby's first Christmas" activity going on over here.

Spoiler alert:  I got to be the official photographer for my DD's first Christmas card.  We had planned for a day at the park, but December weather in Colorado is just too unpredictable. Very windy.  We went inside by the nice warm fire.

I got 77 pictures, but I'm only sharing one photo...my fav.

On the 5th, we took our little peanut for his very first visit to Santa.  He didn't cry!  Nor did he pull Santa's beard (good thing, too; as this Santa had a real beard!).

And on the 7th, our dear sweet Grandson celebrated his "1/2" birthday.  He was in a really good mood for his (six month) photo shoot. 

As you can see, I'm really loving the "animation" feature of Photoshop.  Can't stop myself!

Later that same afternoon, we kidnapped the "little kid" for our own Christmas Card photo shoot.  As he gets older, he gets harder-and-harder to photograph.  Besides the never-ending drool, his two new six-month tricks are blowing raspberries and shaking his head (with not much coordination yet).  On any other given day, this Grandma finds those antics hilarious, but not on Christmas photo day! 

"Hey Santa, Grandma needs a wireless shutter remote, please!" 

I won't be sharing spoilers.  Sorry.

Jingle

Confession:  I've had my Silhouette Cameo machine for a year now.  It is awesome for scrapbooking and paper crafting, but I have never used it to cut vinyl (or tried any of the other special uses for it).  Stupid me.

Not anymore!  I am officially a vinyl-er? (made up word)

Oh em geeeee!! Why did I wait so long?

Love it!  Love the product and love the result!

I think this project is a hybrid scrapbook/vinyl project.  The 12" x 12" shadow box was made for the 3D scrapbook pages that you don't want to smash in your albums.  I already consider myself an expert on the machine (disclaimer:  NOT the software) and have used it numerous times in my scrapbooking.  Cutting vinyl is awesome!  I watched many tutorials before I even attempted my first cut, and truthfully, was just to darn scared to try.

Second confession:  the first two cuts were trash.  One was not sized properly for the 8" vinyl and the other was not loaded into the machine properly.  Yes.  I wasted some vinyl.

But...oh the third!  Smooth as butter.  I might also mention that I loved the "weeding" process (i.e., removing all the little bits of vinyl that do not appear in the finished product.  Think "negative" space.)  Tedious yes, but perfect for my OCD.

The vinyl is adhered to the outside of the glass. Maybe I'll learn the "mirroring" technique and try that next time.  I don't know if you can see the detail, but the paper is actually printed with the Jingle Bell lyrics.

Products:

• 12" x 12" Shadow box:  Michael's
• Jingle Bells:  Hobby Lobby
• Jingle All The Way Cut File:  Kerri Bradford
• Paper:  Teresa Collins
• Vinyl:  Cricut

Guess what the girls are getting for Christmas?

Weekly Layout

This week I am sharing a layout about last year's Race for the Cure. Posting this particular layout shows the world that I am 13 months behind in my scrapbooking!  I have pics from the 2013 RFTC as well!  Oh me.

Here's the LO:

 It is based on this past week's sketch @ Let's Scrap:

Yes.  This LO has lots of Pink!  That's okay.  I LOVE PINK!

The Race for the Cure is a big deal for me.  You can read more about the event here.

You will notice that the journaling was copied exactly from the blog post; which I just realized, helps immensely when you are behind in your scrapbooking.  I did not have to rely on my memory. 

I built this LO around the 12" x 12" white FINISH line image from a Cricut cut long ago.  It is actually the leftover/negative paper/pieces (yes, I may have a problem throwing away anything!).  It worked perfectly for this LO and the sketch.  However, I did have to re-arrange the right side of the sketch to make it work. 

I built the entire LO as one big 12" x 24" piece of art. When it was complete, I simply sliced it down the middle!  Yep. Cut right through the pics and the journaling!

I want to show you some of the close-up detail of the LO:

The patterned background paper was a pretty good match, but it needed something to set it apart.  I distressed and sanded the edges.

I hope you can see the glitter-y images!  The "survivor" photo on the rh side is matted with the pink glitter paper and the white patterned pink ribbon paper at the bottom is splattered with glitter!  You will also notice that the big pink ribbon in the center is embossed with silver foil.  The "cure" is from the same set and they are both mounted on pop dots.

After I had the entire LO assembled, I thought that the pink background paper was a bit boring and just too much pink.  So, I had to mask off my photos and embellishments and stamp over a completed LO!  Well...that's sure Not easy!  I actually stamped with a white pigment ink, but the cardstock just soaked it up!  I'm happy with the resulting subtlety it left behind.

I was able to find some pink alphas that matched.  They almost look as though they were cut out from the white cardstock.  All of the different stacked dimensions made for an interesting title.  

Here are the products I used:

• Pink Cardstock:  Coredinations Foundations
• White Cardstock:  Creative Memories
• Pink Alphas:  Basic Grey Euphoria
• Pink Patterned Paper:  Creative Memories "Beautiful" Power Palette
• White/Pink Ribbon paper:  Me and My Big Idea's
• Pink Glitter Cardstock:  Best Creation
• Race for the Cure Embellies:  Creative Memories
• Chevron Stamp:  Stampin' Up Positively Chevron
• White Pigment Ink:  ColorBox Frost White
• Twine: Queen & Co.

Weekly Layout

This week, I'm posting a newly finished layout of some old pictures (March 30, 2012 to be exact). I still had long hair!

I was newly elected to the Design Team @ Let's Scrap and I needed a headshot.  Gosh, I hadn't had pictures taken of myself in quite some time.  Could have been my senior pictures from way back in 19__ (I ain't telling!).  Was kinda fun, but kinda odd being on that side of the lens.  I was caught talking in several of the outtakes...seems I was giving photography lessons to Bill.  :-)
Scrapbooking them was a bit odd.  Anyone else find it hard to memorialize one's own pictures?  A bit self-indulgent.

The sketch I used is from Scrapbook Generation.  It is not followed exactly.  My picture dimensions were a bit bigger, and I moved the journaling to the bottom left.

A closer look:

  

Products Used:

• Textured cardstock:  Bazzill Sparkle
• Alphas:  American Crafts Thickers:  Vanilla, Hugs & Togetherness
• Patterned paper: 
• My Mind's Eye:  Collectable "Wonder" Lovely
• My Mind's Eye:  Lost & Found Two "Sunshine" Adore
• My Mind's Eye:  Miss Caroline Curious Planks
• Embellishments: 
• Stickers:  My Mind's Eye: Lost and Found 3
• Chipboard:  My Mind's Eye:  Lost and Found 3
• Brads:  My Mind's Eye:  Lost and Found Two

I love My Mind's Eye "glittered" products!  They are definitely a fav of mine. 

Oh Baby!

OM Gosh.  Does time fly or what? Gavin is 5-months-old already.  Getting to be so much fun! Had our photoshoot yesterday.  Got lots of smiles.  And drool. I'm trying something new on Photoshop.  Love that program and need to learn how to do more.  So... here are my first animated photos as a .gif file.  Cute huh? I simply followed this very easy tutorial from Amanda. And, I also created a more "scrapbook-ish" layout/photo ready to print for the baby book.

Collage personalized with Smilebox Gosh.  Am I having fun!  Lots of photo opportunities makes Judy a happy girl!

A Hunka, Hunka Burning Love

Happy belated Halloween!  Can hardly believe it's November already. 

Today, I wanted to share some precious memories of our dear sweet Grandson's first Halloween.

When my daughter announced that she had ordered a baby Elvis costume for Gavin, I was definitely a "thumbs down" on that idea.  I thought he needed to be a bunny, a cow, or a monkey for his first Halloween.  Something furry and cuddly.  Something more baby-ish.  It took me quite awhile to get on the "E-train".

Additionally, I thought we should hold out on the Elvis costume until he could walk. If we waited, I was sure we could teach him the "thank you, thank you very much" for trick or treating.  Right?  Dancing would also be cute.  And, what about the lip curl? 

When I saw the first two pictures she posted on FB, I about died!  He was so darn cute.  No need to wait!

Of course, I am biased.

More Elvis love.

Grandpa was helping to get the hips loosened up and do a little lap dancing.

The guitar was actually a (new) dog toy...with the plastic bottle removed, but so perfect for the costume, and he was starting to fuss with Grandma's obsessive photo taking. But, I think I captured his best Elvis wave.

 

 Isn't he the sweetest?  Everything goes in the mouth!

Caught in the candy!  Maybe next year...

Everything that was old is new again.  And we are having so much fun.

Chicken Pot Pie

I do love fall weather.  The cold, crisp nights just call out for comfort food.  This is one of my all time fav's.  I clipped this recipe from the Sunday paper many years ago and then lost it!  (I am making this tonight largely from memory and a lot of google searching.) 

 

I usually make this using leftover rotisserie chicken and annually after our Thanksgiving meal.

 

Recipe:

2 T butter
1/2 diced yellow onion
1 C diced celery
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 C milk
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t dried thyme
1/8 t black pepper
1/2 t sage or poultry seasoning
12 oz bag of frozen vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, etc.)
4 C chicken (cooked & diced if not using rotisserie)
1 tube Pillsbury Grands Biscuits quartered

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Sauté onion and celery until lightly browned and soft.

In a large bowl, mix together frozen vegetables, soups, milk, and seasonings.  Stir in chicken.  Microwave until heated through.  Not cooked (you want them crisp)!  Add sautéed veggies and stir.  Spoon into a prepared 13" x 9" baking pan.  Arrange biscuits over hot filling.  Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, until bubbly and biscuits are golden.

Oh...enjoy the smell in your house.  Smells like Thanksgiving.

God Bless This Baby

How tenderly He loves them,
the children of this earth.
How carefully He guides them,
from the moment of their birth.
How lovingly He looks upon them,
sweet and fair...
May He always keep our little one safe
within His care.
Amen.

This past Saturday my grandson, Gavin, received the Sacrament of Baptism and we celebrated and embraced God who first loved us from the moment of our conception. We celebrated the gift of this child, our family, and our faith.

 

Truth is, it is no small feat to get a child baptized these days.  Takes a lot of planning, preparation and paperwork.   There are new clothes to buy, classes to take, and godparents to select.  And a party to plan!

One of the benefits of waiting a couple of extra months, is a quiet baby.  Gavin cooed and squealed (to the delight of the crowd) and didn't utter even a whimper as the cold water doused his head.  Oh, and I think I noticed a yawn or two.

God, we love this baby.
We are thankful.

 

And I don't know why, but Grandma, may have shed a tear or two...

Weekly Layouts

Darn it...I think I missed a week.  or two!

I've just returned from a 3-day scrapbooking retreat in the beautiful Colorado mountains with lots of finished projects.  So, this week I'm posting two:

The first is a trip to the pumpkin patch last fall:

Based on this sketch from Let's Scrap:

Here is a closer look at the detail:

  

All of the paper & embellishments are from a coordinated line from SEI.  This is a beautiful line of products.  I hope you can see the iridescent foil touches to the leaves.  The round medallion and the paisley are mounted on pop dots.

 

The title and the large background pumpkin were cut using the Silhouette Cameo (shapes are from the online store).

 

The second LO is the butchering masterful carving of the aforementioned pumpkins:

Based on this sketch from Let's Scrap:

Some close-up detail:

Source:

• Paper:  Fancy Pants
• Title and chevron pumpkin were cut using the Silhouette Cameo (shapes from the online store)
• Carving knives, pumpkin seeds and fuzzy felt pumpkin are Jolee's

Anyone else like Halloween as much as I do?  Only two more weeks to get out to the patch, get some pumpkins and make your own Jack-o-lanterns!  We're taking our grandson out on Sunday just for a photoshoot.  Hope the weather cooperates.

Der's Gold in Dem Der Hills!

We are officially in Indian Summer.  We've had our first snow and our first hard freeze (two of them).  But, boy is Indian Summer great in Colorado!  It's been so nice, baby Gavin and Grace, and I have a daily afternoon walk on the path that runs along the water canal.  I call us the three G's.  We're quite a sight.

Anyway, I digress.  This past Sunday was absolutely one of those days where I was not sitting at home to watch the Bronco game.  Uh huh.  I do love the games, but like 'em even better when it's truly football weather.

I could not get the Broncos #1 fan to leave the house, cause after all, "how many trees can a guy see in his lifetime?"  Really?  I left him at home in all his Bronco finery and Gracie and I headed out for a Sunday drive. 

Just a girl and her dog.

And...her camera...

I'm gonna let the rest of the post be about the beautiful day, beautiful weather, and the beautiful color/show Colorado puts on for us every year.

 

 

Rare sighting.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
Made my whole day!

Mt. Bierstadt, 14,060'
Just one of Colorado's 14ers

 

The aforementioned girl and her dog.

 

It's not just about the golden leaves.
We have some sweeping vistas as well.

 

 

  

I hope your fall is as beautiful as it is here!