Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Daily grind and Making Memories

(wiping the sweat from my brow)


Okay, we've done it. We got our local park and recreation guide, I noted the sign up dates, and I jumped online first thing registration morning to get Morgan signed up for swimming lessons. Phew. In the class. Not on the waiting list. Why must it be so hard? I'm just trying to get my girl some skilz! There's such competition for extra-curricular activities. I guess we all bring it on ourselves by trying to be the first one through the gate.


One reason I wanted to sign Morgan up for lessons is because I should do so every summer. Until. The more skills the kids have, the better. We spend a lot of time camping at lake, the ocean, pool time in the backyard... I just think it's something that should be a required part of childhood. The second reason? The second reason I signed Morgan up for lessons is to give her something to do. Why?


The girl is driving me nuts.


Okay, I said it. I did. She cries all day long. All day. I gave her a big cup when she wanted a small cup. She wanted this type of cracker, not that one. I didn't give her enough. I gave her too many. The apple slices were supposed to be big. She wanted to go outside. She wanted to go inside. She wanted one more dandelion from the yard. blah blah blah... if the kid can find a reason to throw a fit, she DOES.


Terrible Twos. Heard of that one.


I have also heard that the three's are even worse.


I NeVER hear anything about the 4's. Why? WHY. Why didn't someone prepare me? Because the four's at my house are definitely the worst. Ayiyiyiyiy.


And then there's Payton.


And she's watching everything that her sister is doing and taking notes.


The next few years are going to be tough.




In other nutty news, I join the crowd. For some reason, I somehow volunteered myself to make 7 ballet costumes for Morgan's first ballet recital. 7. Costumes. With fabric. And sewing. Why I did this I have no idea. Morgan goes to the Redmond School of Dance, and for some reason, the school doesn't come up with costumes for the 3-4 year old group. It's up to the parents. And nobody was stepping forward to do anything. So I jumped up and volunteered. And I am now freaking out.




The song is "the bear went over the mountain". Okay.


Because the program is only about 2 minutes long, I decided to push for something inexpensive. So I thought the kids could all wear their pink leotards, tights, and shoes.


I then decided to get brown and pink tulle, and tie the skirts. So it kinda looks stripey. I also found some bear headbands with the ears and I'm going to put a velvet bow in the middle. And the headbands came with bear hand gloves.


I know it doesn't make sense right now, and frankly, I'm working on the first one and it isn't as I envisioned either.... which is why I'm somewhat freaking out. So if anyone has any advice, tell me. TELL ME. I need all the help I can get.




Anyway.... that's it on the home front. Oh wait. One more thing.




Steve didn't get the captain's position. And he's happy about it. Is that weird? I am still not sure what to think about it. I honestly don't know if he really wanted the job or not. He keeps telling me that he has 19 years before he retires. He doesn't see himself climbing the "corporate" ladder higher than a Captain. He isn't interested in an office job. So he wasn't sure if now is the time to move to the top position. He just wants to look forward to going to work, so I am all for whatever position that means he's in.




Scrappy stuff. I am smokin' the June kit from Studio Calico. I can't stop creating with it! I have already outdone myself with the quantity of projects I have finished for reveal night. And I still have product yet! This has been such a fun kit, and I'm not just saying that because I work there.




Lastly.... have you checked out the Making Memories blog? I was asked to participate in a 4 product challenge with two other designers, using the Noteworthy 2 line. It was an honor to be asked and I had a lot of fun with the challenge. This is what I did:




We were given three pieces of paper:

Circle Flower Die Cut

Double Sided Ledger Circle

Double Sided Stripe

And this is what I decided to do:

(From my MM blog post)


I often struggle with wanting to use both the A and B side of a piece of patterned paper. This was the case with the double sided striped paper from the Delaney collection. I wanted to use the stripes as the background, but I also wanted to use a little bit of the pink on the reverse side. I thought both sides complimented the colors in my photos so well. What I ended up doing was trimming two 1 inch stripes from the right side of the striped paper. I then layered the flower die-cut circle and the double sided ledger circle over the space I trimmed out so that you can’t see the space. I used those two strips of pink paper on either side of the ledger circle paper, B side.

Because of the design on my layout, the orange strip covered some of the flower detail on the circle die-cut paper. To showcase it I simply trimmed the flowers from the paper on the lower right and layered it over the top. I added some orange glittered die-cut flowers on part of the floral pattern to add more glitter to the layout, which complimented the glittered alphas that I used. In addition I trimmed a tip of a flower on the upper part of the circle, and tucked the orange and pink strip underneath it.

After adhering my photos, ribbon, title, and cutout work, I finished off the layout with some hand stitching around the strip. I just love the finished look that hand-stitching gives to a scrapbook layout.

Again, it was an honor to participate in this challenge!

Have a great day! Davinie

16 comments:

  1. WOO HOOO! The first place I headed this morning after checking my email was MM!!!! Your layout looks fantastic up there Dav. I loved it. Huge congrats to you my friend ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats on the MM gig!!! Your layout turned out so beautifully! Now I know why you've been so busy. LOL You have a lot going on! And I totally understand about the kids..mine do the EXACT same thing. Want this, then want that, eat a hundred times a day, and wait to ask me for something until right when I sit down for a moment. GRRR! In the house, out of the house, etc etc. When does it end? =) Can't wait to see your Studio Calico stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your layout is beautiful. Congrats on joining the challenge. As far as the four, wait until there older and start with talking back and attitude. Be strong and consistent, I promise that with time it will work. DON'T GIVE IN... Have a great one and I can't wait to see those layouts for Studio Calico...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good luck with the costumes. I have to say that doesn't sound fun. Hope it doesn't end up being to bad.

    Love what you did with the new MM stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your work is just lovely!!!! I wish I had HALF your talent!

    Hope the day gets better. I think girls are just plain tough to raise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. gorgeous layout.
    period.

    the costumes will look fab...don't stress.

    and that baybay of yours will calm down...i promise.

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just started reading your blog a few days ago and I just wanted to say that your work is beautiful. The making memories layout is very cute :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Davinie,

    I am also part of the MM Designer Challenge and I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I love your LO. We used the papers in a similar fashion, but I love how yours pops with the cut out flowers and the ribbon across the bottom. Great job!

    I love your work overall! I can't wait to see what you create with the June Studio Calico kit! :-)

    Vanessa

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh my gosh, Davinie! Those costumes will look awesome. I have sewn lots of dinosaur, monkey and frog costumes...never a bear ballet costume. Whatever you do will be stunning. Please post photos. I have a vision in my head of where you are going and I bet I am completely wrong. LOL!

    Love your MM layout. Holy cow...you knocked it out of the ball park!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is an amazing layout, I love the way you used the products - and the wal you worked out how to used both sides of the pp.

    ReplyDelete
  11. wow dav.. you are busy, busy, busy!! congrats on MM... good luck with swimming lessons & costumes! wow! 7?!
    and that's a great layout!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the layout! Congrats on MM!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. dav, first off, that LO is fantastic. you rocked the challenge! second, you are too funny! I love the real reason Morgan is learning to swim.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love your work!

    What ages are your kids? I have a 4 year old and a 5 month old. I'm sure the 5 month old is easier to look after at the moment!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey, it was so fun reading about your girls. Something I have to look forward to. Are boys easier???? Love that layout. Congrats, again, on the MM gig.
    You have to post a photo of the costumes.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats, Davinie on your spot at MM! I love the layout you created...sooo purrdy.

    Have a wonderful weekend!!
    Tessa

    ReplyDelete