Back from Bolivia

Hi all! I'm finally back. Actually I've been back one week, but I've been trying to get back on track at work and around the house. I'm still working on the 640+ photos (Yes I did take THAT many!) I took while I was in Bolivia and as soon as I sort through them I be posting some of them here for ya'll to see. Promise!

In the meantime, I thought I would combat A~ withdrawl with a layout of photos of her at the age of 3. This is a sketch by Thorunn Engill.

Much love,

erin

Just scrappin' away

July was my month to be on the online design team for ScrapGoods and I wanted to share what I've been working on. Each month they feature a new technique to learn. This month was printmaking with foam and with an acrylic plate. Hope you like what I came up with!

I love this photo of Mom and Dad on the beach. The vintage paper looks quite nice with it too! I used the acrylic plate and a mask to make the title block. Basically you cover the plate with slow-drying ink and take a stamp to remove some of the ink. Then you place your paper on top and rub firmly to get the image to transfer. The title stamps are Clearly Wordsworth - Small Happy - the same ones you have Mom, OK?! I used part of some of the letters to make the numbers (part of the "k" to make the "1", part of the "q" to make the "9", and part of the "g" to make the "6").

Here's another layout of me in 1973 (what a cutie, huh?!) I just finished this one yesterday... I may add some journaling to it, but I'm not sure just yet. No printmaking on this one... but a lot of stitching for the stems and leaves, as well as sticthing a photo corner with the title and chipboard button.

Finally, here is a newer shot of my new flip flops. This year I vowed to avoid sneakers as much as possible and let my feet show... whether I thought that they looked cute or not! So far, so good... and much more comfy! Made the patterned paper with the acrylic plates again on this one.

Take care everyone!

Much love,
erin

Well the 4th of July may be over, ....


but A~'s desire for fireworks has just been wetted! She was a little nervous at first... but once she got into the swing of things, she really started to enjoy it.

The day started out nice and lazy... tv in bed, lounging around in pajamas (what could be better, after all?!). Then she played with kids at the neighbors house while we demolished just about all of the side steps and landing. Our thought was just to replace the wood on the landing and redo the cracked steps... but as more lumber came off we realized that the supports were not salvagable after all. So now we have just a little of the old structure left as we try to decide what to do with it. As long and we remember that we can't use it as an exit, we should be ok. At least we have 2 back doors!

After demo came sparklers part one... followed by grilling by the light of the sparklers.... followed by fireworks. We didn't have anything really big, but A~ seemed to prefer the smaller, quieter ones... so it was perfect!

much love,

erin

With age, comes wisdom...

... at least we hope so. I'm not just saying that because I celebrated a birthday this weekend!

Jimmie and Donnie please take note. I've received information indicating that you doubt the stories of the close encounters with deer that we all experienced in Kansas a couple of weeks ago. Here is your proof. Give your mother a break!!! ;-)

Here is the deer calmly strolling up the driveway:















And here is another shot of it enjoying the hay field:

Making Faces

I just wanted to share a mini-book that I just finished called Making Faces.

I also just realized that despite graduating with honors from high school and college, I have sunken into that sad place where you rely on MS Word's spellcheck feature for basic spelling needs. That isn't so bad... except when you are NOT typing on a computer. See if you can find my typo... I mean stamp-o! :)

This a A~ about a year ago enjoying her time and her ice cream at the local Baskin Robbins!

much love,

erin

Wish I Was Here...

Boy do I ever! The first day back after vacation is always the hardest. Lot's of unanswered emails, forgotten to do lists, and never enough sleep the night before. It'll be easier tomorrow, but today I just wish I was back on the porch swing or watching the kids play on the fountain at the Legends.

Last Friday night we enjoyed our first family dinner with authentic Texas sausage. (Thank you Mamasan!) It made carrying it through the airport while carrying a sleeping 3 year old all worth it. Boy was it good! You just can't find anything with the same seasonings here in Virginia. I don't think I've had any for 5 years or more... how sad! Unfortunately I'll have to share with the family since they ate it up. I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't like it and I would get to keep it all to myself!

Better go for now. A~ has a bit of a cold. I got her to take some medicine, but she's refused all food except for half of a popsicle (it's really hot and she's got a little bit of a temperature... so I'm really surprised she didn't eat the whole thing!).

Much love,

erin

Lions, Tigers, and Bears.... Oh My!

OK... so no lions, tigers, or bears....


but lots of other animals! We are having a great time visiting in Kansas. A~ loves to feed the animals... whether it's the chickens... or the fish.... or the bunnies... or the cats... or the dogs. She is in heaven with all of the animals to play with.




On the first day she was already throwing grain to the chickens and helping to gather the eggs. A~ was SO excited... look, there's an egg! I think we got 7 or 8 that day alone. After the chickens came Captain Bun Bun... he like grass and boy is he getting plenty of it! Whenever there's a lull in activity she announces, "I'm going to feed Captain Bun Bun!"... and off she goes to the porch to feed him or pet him or just talk to him.













Shelby was kind enough to give us a tractor ride around the house and through some of the fields. All the kids had a great time, squealing the entire way! Sunday was hot, hot, hot, and sticky. Luckily the pool fixed that and the kids took turns pouring water on their heads... they are SO silly all together!

















Also got a visit from a butterfly who kept on landing on us. He probably came by about 20 times... very friendly... and quite lovely for a brown butterfly.




Much love,


erin