Okay so I KNOW I’ve been SO absent lately. I have just been overwhelmed overwhelmed and overwhelmed some more. Truth is I’ve only scrapped ONE page since the last time I posted it has just been hard for me to come up with any inspiration… and I’ve really just been so busy! My kids will not stop getting sick, Saturday I was thinking maybe we were through it finally but then gareth came down with a cold now, so who knows when we will be through it! Luckily he is the only one suffering, and brave soul that he is, he wanted to “go and learn atleast SOME today” and then said he’d go to the nurses office if he felt TOO sick. This child of mine has just been maturing so much lately – I don’t know where it all came from all of the sudden – but I can see him really working, trying contstantly to be respectful, responsible, he is just seeming less and less like a little child and more and more like a boy. He is going to be 6 this June and I can really believe it!

Okay so LOOK at this picture he brought home from school last week – what a little stud muffin!

Credits: Robin Carlton’s “Closer to Heaven”, Background Paper Robin Carlton’s “Andy 2.0″ Staples Manda Bean, Fonts HappyDaze, Jane Austen, Rub This.

Awww – I love this guy!

Speaking of my little guys growing up!

On the 14th was Owen’s THIRD birthday! On Saturday we had a “Robot” party because Owen LOVES robots, and even has a few tiny little imaginary Robot friends He was actually pretty shy for the party, even though only 2 little buddies of his were there. But he has been talking about it since, so I know that deep down inside he had a good time. Wow, a 3 year old, a 6 year old soon…. then Reecey is going to be TWO…. yikes!

Okay I need everyone’s scrapping vibes! I’ve got a TON of pages to get done for my Creative Teams!!! Hold on, there will be so much more to share soon!!!

I PROMISE! It won’t be 14 days until my next update! oh and the mean time – GO SEE – my newest Stapms at NDISB. I’m really excited about all of these!!!

Well we are all in a funk around here! The little boys and i have been sick, and so we haven’t been out of the house in over a week now and I think it is starting to grate on us!

I’m hoping tomorrow we are all feeling totally up to par so that we can get out of the house before we all actually go crazy!

I’ve been in quite the scrapping funk too with all of this. Having a fever and a miserable cold isn’t at all good for your scrapping mojo, so strangely enough for a week I did practically NOTHING!

Last night I really started to worry about my scrap-motivation so I sat down and found a challenge to get me started. It was an art inspiration challenge that gave us an image for inspiration and then we create a page based on it.

Here is the inspiration piece:

And here is what I came up with:

So, I love the way it turned out, I should do art inspirations more often… and although it was a successful venture, I don’t really feel my mojo back, Really It just makes me want to go chase the waves at the coast!

Lots of catchup to do, Scrap Stuff, house stuff – Does anyone know of some sort of art inspiration that can help me get my stinkin’ laundry done???

Well all of you have been SO patient with me, and although I was waylaid by the cold from hell, I am finally able and READY to share… MY BIG NEWS!!!

A few weeks ago after all the arrow fun Theresa Hernandez, owner of Natural Designs in Scrapbooking, asked me if I would like to start selling my “stapms” at her store. I really thought this through VERY carefully because I don’t want to get too caught up in designing, and really I’m not even sure if I have the desire to become a full fledged designer. BUT I have really been enjoying doodling lately, and I would love to do more. By actually putting them up for sale, it will enable me to create more, and to put more time into creating “stapms” of all shapes and sizes. Plus this is an exciting new venture and I am all for anything that is new and exciting!

So – drum roll please! – I’m really excited to introduce you to my first product for NDISB

I’ve been so fascinated with celtic knots and designs lately, and some how these photo corners and doodles took on a life of thier own. There is something very soothing and homey, yet elegant in these designs and I knew they would make a great addition to any sort of pages.

Here’s a simple Sample Page I put together for Kinship using Set of Corner Brushes, a Doodle, and some great word art from Scrap artist.

This page is about how Gareth is such a strong guy in such a different sort of way, Gareth just bursts with charisma, and that is the sort of strength that takes the world by storm.

If you like Kinship go pick it up at the Natural Designs Store and while you are there check out Theresa, and Anita’s designs too. Oh and through sunday only a special coupon for 25% off my Stapms use the code Stapm_Lovin. (edited to add cupon code has been fixed sorry about that! just use an underscore instead of a dash)
Oh and by the way, this is the last item on my List… I guess it is time to start another. First item: LAUNDRY. But for now my head is pounding so back to bed for me!

This past month Sweet Shoppe Designs has added another incredible designer to thier Team. The Amazing Tracy Ann Robinson is now selling at SSD and because we have a new designer there is the exciting opportunity for any of my fellow digi scrappers to be on the fun and talented team of sugar babes. Read the add below, then click on it to go to the “So you want to be a sugar babe” forum to find out more. Here is the catch – you have to register by April 7th (tomorrow!) at 11:59 EST. SO HURRY UP!!!

Don’t forget too, that this month just like every month we are running our Scrap With the Sugar Babes contest – all you have to do is participate in one (or both) of our SWTSB activities for the month of April and link us to your page in the Forums and you will be in the running to win a $15 Gift Card to Sweet Shoppe Designs.

Here is our First Scrap with the Sugar Babes activity for the month of April. We are scraplifting our new Treat of the Month – Dani Mogstad. Dani is SUCH a great scrapper AND a dear friend of mine, so, I insist you all must lift her!!! Definately a page inspired by her is a must in your scrap book, and I know you won’t be disappointed with a page lifted from her.
Here is own my Lift of Dani’s page “Toddler Style”

There are some other great TOTM scraplifts in the sugar babe gallery, click on my lift to see them. Then GO to the Sweet Shoppe Forums, sign yourself up to be in the running to be the next sugar babe (the goodies you get there you can not beat!) then lift Dani while you are at it and link us so that you are in the running to win a $15 GC at the Sweet Shoppe!

Okay so, In all my ADD type tendancies, I’m sitting here at my computer trying to remember EVERYTHING I have to do. It is the begining of the month, which ofcourse means new projects, bills, MOMS Club things, and lots of gallery posting. Not to mention that it seems when ever a month starts, my mind just starts to SWIMMMMM with plans, thoughts, goals for the million and a half things I would like to do better this month than I did last month.

So in true Digi Scrapper style…

Now… isn’t it a bummer that make a pretty list isn’t on there??? then I could cross that Puppy right off. Notice though, item 10… My parents are going to take ALL THREE BOYS for a few days since it is spring break for Gareth this week! Perhaps, all this stuff will actually be managable!

Okay so lets see… what Item should I cross off next??? How about…

Layouts:

This is “Wispers of Spring” by Anita Stergiou at Natural Designs in Scrapbooking. My Own Polka Flower Stapm and Smootsy Alpha by Nancy Rowe Janitz. Fonts are Adobe Carlson Pro, VNI-Thufap2, and my own handwriting for “Spring.”

Credits: This AMAZING kit is in the April Dezine from TheDigiChick availible now! Fonts: Jayne Print and April Bold. Alpha is from DesignbyDani.

Credits: Everything here is in the amazing new “Fresh Air” kit coming to DesignByDani April 1st. Fonts Jane Austen and Times New Roman.

“Reece, it is so hard to believe you were ever so small. You have grown to be such a little spit fire, but once upon a time you were just the sweetest calmest baby I’d ever seen. I will always treasure these pictures of you so small. Even as I am loving up the little kick-butt toddler you are growing to be.”

Credits: This is “Chocolate Garden” by Dani Mogstad that is being offered exclusively at ScrapArtist for the Month of April (Go see – Dani is the Featured Designer there this month!)

Journaling on that one is just about feeling overwhelmed, and how sometimes all it takes is remembering to breathe.

 Credits: Okay you ALL HAVE TO GET THIS KIT It is called “Sassy Pants” at Design By Dani, AND yours truely got to play a part in the kit creation with some doodles!

Credits: This is a ScrapLift of the Chef Susan’s This is Me LO. Family Moments kit by Kimberly Giarrusso and Holly McCaig at Holly’s Site. Chipboard Action by Atomic Cupcake, Aged Leather Alpha by Christy Lyle, and ArrowDoodles by Me.

I also Borrowed a few girly pics this past week:

Everything is Poshy Posh – Pinky Poo by Christy Lyle at SweetShoppeDesigns. Fonts: Arial and Arial Black. (Thanks Erin for lending me some Libby pics for this!)

Credits: The Egg by Robin Carlton at SweetShoppeDesigns. Chip Board Alpha and little flowers by Dani Mogstad. (Thank You to Dani for these adorable baby Lexi Pics!)

Whew! LOL, I’ve been scrapping my heart out! Here is the incredible thing though! I got ALLLLLLL these kits for FREE! One of the many pleasures of being on Creative Teams!

Well one list item down…. a ka-gillion to go

I think I’m going to go do my Pilates… we’ll PRETEND that one was on the list too!