Glow!

Another layout for the "Beauty Pageant" at Scraptastic.  This was a great challenge for me, as I had never scrapped a 8x10 photo before.

Almost all of the products came from the July Scraptastic kit. I added Unity stamps, Glimmer mist, and Making Memories alphas. 

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at the Hot Air BalloonChallenge here in town.

Please stay tuned to see the new plans I have in store for my blog! Look for a new tagline and organizational structure,  new content themes, and a more consistent posting schedule. My "re-launch" is scheduled for Monday, August 9th. While I take a break until then, I will be re-posting some old favorites, showcasing projects I love, and maybe even have a guest blogger or two. I am very excited and looking forward to your input!!

Blog Relaunch Announcement!!

I have been working hard doing the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge, and am making some changes to my blog. I am following along with the SITS girls and BlogFrog community to share the experience with other women bloggers. What a blast!

Stay tuned for my blog re-launch on Monday, August 9th! Look for a new tagline and organizational structure, new content themes, and a more consistent posting schedule. I am very excited and can't wait to get your input!

You Go Girl!

Today I'm sharing my last project for Linday's Stamp Stuff. I want to thank Lindsay and all the design team girls for being so encouraging and supportive. It's been great!

Today I am using It's a Girl Thing. So, so cute.

I am also using Mojo Monday sketch 149. So, so cute.

Be sure to visit Lindsay's blog for a link to the other design team members and this week's freebie!

Check out Expect Moore next week- a week's worth of Pocket Projects! I am doing a guest post on Thursday showing how to use a hidden pocket on a scrapbook page for pull-out journaling!

I'll take a 2 liter of Coke, a pack of gum, and oh yeah, some porn.

Last Saturday I was out running errands and just messing around town with my two daughters. Our last stop was my favorite drive-through, the one that hands out Dum-Dum suckers to little kids in backseats. (This photo does not depict the establishment in question). As I waited in line behind two other cars, I noticed an addition to the familiar beer-snack-and-soda lined tunnel- a large white magazine rack. Intrigued, I leaned out my window as I drew closer, then suddenly blurted out, "Oh my GOD, is that  PORN"?? 

Indeed it was, confirmed not only by my own eyes, but also by the man standing beside the register. Front and center, in between the gum and the beef jerky. Not even behind the counter.  Alerted by my outburst, the girls were now noticing the magazines, too.  "Mommy, why is that lady wearing her underwear with no clothes?" asked Vivian, age 5. Morgan, age 7, chimed in with, "Skin is a funny name for a magazine"! (Well, my dear, so is Hustler and Juggs). Oh wow, I am completely not ready for such conversations. 

I politely tell the cashier that I will be going somewhere else from now on. I explain that my kids know enough to ask questions, and I don't think it's appropriate to have porn in plain sight. He looks at me as if I have two heads. "But, you can't even see anything!" he protests.

I shrug and drive down the street to another drive-through. I make my purchases, all is well, and then I see them. More smutty magazines! Just off to the right of the exit door! Apparently from now on I will have to haul my butt out of the car and go in to an actual store when I need to pick up a few concessions.

I'm not uptight. I'm not a prude. I think adults should have access to such things if they want. Just NOT in view of my very young, questioning, and impressionable daughters. Ick. So, am I asking too much here? Have you seen porn popping up in unexpected places?


How to have conversations about difficult topics with your kids
Talking to your kids about sex
Media and girls
Girls and self esteem

Project 365: Days 199-205

This was a "beat the heat" week here at my house...

Day 199- curling up in front of the AC with a book

Day 200- campfire songs without the campfire. Morgan says she has a "very sing-able voice"

Day 201- just another day of laying around and doing kitty stuff

Day 202- pool party with my coworkers

Day 203- desperately trying to get our marigolds to bloom

Day 204- simple treats- ice cream at McDonalds

Day 205- I let the kids raid their piggy banks for quarters, then we killed some time in the (airconditioned) mall playing on the kiddie rides

How did you stay cool this week?

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Word Lust

I am a self- confessed book nerd. I have been since I was a little girl. I can sit down with a book and spend hours without even realzing it. So when our next challenge for the Scrap-Tastic Beauty Pageant was to scrap our passion, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

Paint and chipboard make a frame for the page.

Felt letters and Unity stamps.

I made the background using chipboard letters as masks, then sprayed with Glimmer Mist.

More Unity stamps and old dictionary pages.

Summer "Bucket List"

Someone please find Summer and tell it to come back! I know it's still July, but we just received the girls' school supply list today, and it was a shocking reminder at how quickly the summer is slipping away. As in summers past, I had a long list of things I wanted to do before school came around. Some of my wishes have been fulfilled this year, others are still waiting. How much can I squeeze into the next few weeks?

1. Go to Kings Island without the kids
2. make fresh lemonade
3. make smores in the backyard
4. go to an outdoor concert

5. yardsales!
6. eat watermellon
7. help the girls grow flowers from seeds
8. visit a farmer's market
9. light sparklers
10. go to a carnival or festival
11. catch fireflies
12. actually buy something from the ice cream truck
13. have a sleepover
14. watch the sun set with my husband
15. hang out at the old rootbeer stand

What do you still have to accomplish on your summer wish list? I'd love the hear your ideas!

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Steampunk Birthday Card

It's time for another project with Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. I made this birthday card using her Steampunk Stamps.  I also used SplitcoastStampers sketch 288 for inspiration. My nesties, glimmer mist and scrap pile came together on this quick card.

Be sure to check out Lindsay's blog for links to the other design team members and today's freebie. Visit her mygrafico store for tons of digi stamps, papers and SVG files!

Bekah by the Numbers

Here is another layout I completed for the Scrap-Tastic "Beauty Pageant". The challenge was to do an "all about me" page. I used a numbered, list format to describe some important things in my life.

I used my favorite colors, lots of glimmer mist and paint, and some gorgeous Making Memories alphas.

More Balloon pics

So I did a terrible job at Project 365 this week...I hit maybe 3 days. I hope to redeem myself with the fact that I took 132 photos Saturday at the Balloon Festival! Here's just a few.

Rides!

Games!

Food!

Skydivers!

Giant flags!

Balloon Glow!

Hope your weekend was filled with fun and family time!

Scrappin' Silhouettes debut

This layout marks my first project as a designer for Scrappin' Silhouettes, a scrapbook sketch challenge blog. Just click the link to meet the designers, lesrn about this month's giveaway, and to play along.

Here's my take on this week's sketch.

The Invasion Begins!

Every year my town hosts the National Hot Air Balloon Challenge. This evening the challenge took all the balloons directly over my house! One basket even scraped the tops of the trees in our backyard. The girls and I had a blast watching them.

This is the one that hit our trees! It was really cool seeing them so close.

My personal favorite, considering my line of work! I think this one is new this year.

The girls' fave. Also new to the Challenge this year.

We are heading to the actual festival tomorrow, so look for more pics soon!

All Mine!

I completed this Mother's Day layout for a "Beauty Pageant" at Scrap-Tastic. We were to use the colors magenta, chartreuse, and slate. What do you think?

Project 365: Days 185-191

It was a pretty laid-back week here at my house and at work. How about you?

Day 185- Happy 4th of July!

Day 186- More fun at Kings Island

Day 187- Gas station wisdom.

Day 188- My brown-eyed Susans finally bloomed! My friend from work, Lisa, dug these out of her yard for me. We had a kind of flower swap at work- I brought in daisies (also seen in this pic) and variegated grass to share.

Day 189- Love this guy!

Day 190- Movie night. We watched "Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure".

Day 191- Dinner at my grandparents'. Their hydrangeas are beautiful!