2011 August

Peekin’ Peepers

August 31, 2011 2 Comments

This is my lovely sister. How I adore her! Here is one of my very favorite photos from the photo shoot we did.

I saw a similar pose on Pinterest and knew I wanted to try it out -hoping to get a good shot of her peepers. I think we did pretty good. 🙂

A CD of photos – senior photoshoot and graduation. All in one place.

This hybrid project of CD label and case by Carina is easy to make – and so versatile. It can be used for CDs full of photos, an adorable circle card and envelope, organizing family DVDs, a very thin cookie… oh the possibilities.

{Carina Gardner: Hybrid Project Friday No. 5, Daisy Jane borders & papers (solids and v. 6 – Bath Time), Ink blots from DESIGN 365 – Color Kit 1, frame by Rhonna Farrer}

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {Jessica Sprague}, {reading reverie}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}

Spotlight {Autumn}

August 29, 2011 Leave a Comment

Daddy: Autumn Michelle – I love you because when you offer to help someone you are so good to do it quickly and cheerfully. When you decide to help someone you do it with all your heart.

Jacob: I love Autumn because she has so much energy and enthusiasm.

Autumn: Do you want to see how fast I can run?

Daddy: Um, no. I want you to sit nicely and take in all the good things being said.

Andrew: Because she trades candy a lot. (The fair parade was last Saturday.)

Caleb: Sister, seeeeester! (He loves his sister and loves to say sister too. When he says his nighttime prayer, he always gets distracted when he starts talking about his sisters.). *big squeeze hugs and a huge mmmmmuah!!*

Autumn: I am very talented! I can do back bends and cartwheels!!

Josh: I love Autumn because she trades candy with me.

Mommy: I too am thankful for Autumn’s help around the house. One day she cleaned the table three times for me. She’s good at cheering up her brother and sister. She was a huge help at the fair booth. She would pass out stickers and talk about the books and was such a big help. I love Autumn. She’s my oldest girlie!

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {tickles and smiles}

Little reminders

August 29, 2011 Leave a Comment

*deep breath* & *sigh*

I think the real gift here are all the quotes.

Card reads “There is more to life than increasing its speed – Gandhi”

(Featured in this talk – “Of Things That Matter Most” by President Uchtorf – love it. And love that General Conference is so soon – about a month now!! 🙂 )

Quotes are also written on the ticket tags:
“For fast-acting relief try slowing down.” Lily Tomlin
“He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul’s estate.” Henry David Thoreau
&
“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” Ovid

{Card and tags made with Le Petite Paperie Provence Papers and Tickets by Carina Gardner, card template from Card Couture vol. 2, by iKari designs}

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {Jessica Sprague}, {reflections and deep thoughts}

Natural lovin’

August 19, 2011 Leave a Comment

My brother Bob’s family gave us this small herbal salve, ointment and essential oil set for part of our Christmas present last year. He and his amazing wife Amanda have been learning how to make many of them. Although it was fun to have my brother’s handwriting on bright neon sticky labels on the containers above, I decided it was time to truly let this beauties shine by making a bit fancier labels. 🙂

{Used labels from: Meet and Greet Elements Pack by In the Making design:

I adore these!! Used them for a few projects now: here & here. 😉 ; fonts on herbal remedy labels: American Typewriter & Marcelle Script}

Most of the herbal remedies have become staples in our home – especially the BF&C (bone,flesh and cartilage) salve. Starts out as this, but they made it into a salve for all the bumps and bruises around these parts. Such a fast-working, relief-giving wonder.

I would love to spend some more time on this site and take the Family Herbalist Course someday. It sounds fascinating.

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {Jessica Sprague}

Love Stories…

August 19, 2011 Leave a Comment

A few stories I don’t want to forget. 🙂 I love the words+photos process for that. The +colors+polka dots+digital paint+toothpick flags… that would be for me. The little heart(s) “hidden” on each layout I do… that’s for all of us.

My silly little one. One morning she came running into our bedroom, hopped on the bed and announced “I am going to juggle oranges!” Her daddy helped her and there were many smiles and giggles.
Epilogue: The next day, Katey threw a party for one of her oranges.

{Credits}

My summertime entrepreneurs. 🙂

Journaling:
Heard from the window:
“Dirt for sale. Great for growing flowers. Only 50 cents! Dirt here. Dirt for saaaaaaale!”

{Credits}

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {Jessica Sprague}, {tickles and smiles}

Crafting with my little ones… a real treat

August 18, 2011 3 Comments

These fun little beauties can be adapted for any age or occasion.

Our little ones got in on the fun as well. Here’s Jacob starting out:

Some treat trying from Momma’s jars:

I love little chubby fingers wiggling and prying.

Jacob still at it… making a very fancy dispenser.

Some containers by the others. Katey’s is my personal favorite – you cannot beat the accessibility of a cup. 😉

And the final product:

A triple-decker lock – takes a lot of twisting, but very secure.

For now, I have babies on the brain and my choice of treats reflects that. 🙂 The almonds are to keep nearby – when I need a little extra protein. And sometimes nothing settles my sickiness like a sour candy. The plan is to keep these on my headboard. We’ll see how many times I need to refill them. 😉

With babies we always wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. I really enjoy it that way. Of course I don’t know any different – but it works for us. Jim Bob is the one that wanted to wait on our firstborn and I knew there was no way I could know without sharing. I really enjoyed it and now I’m the one that insists and he could go either way. 🙂 I made one treat jar for each gender. The scenes and decorations on the dispensers are from Echo Park: Little Boy Paper Pack, Little Boy Element Pack, Little Girl Paper Pack, Little Girl Element Pack.

I used two projects I’ve been wanting to try out: Candy Dispensers by Heidi Swapp & Jar Scenes by Rhonna Farrer. I had a few adaptions. I used a little larger plastic cup for the top – 16 ounces (also available at WalMart). I also could not find my glue gun anywhere, so I used double-sided sticky square adhesive things (sorry – no name on those??) that I had from another project.

I also bent o-wires from my bind-it-all to make the places to stick the decorations to. Then floral wire and sparkly clear embroidery floss for hanging clouds and airplanes from the top of jars. 🙂 Lace and pipe cleaners became the decor for the bottom part of the jars. Now that I type it all out I wish I had taken photos along the way to better describe – sorry! Some of these details are easier to see in the photos below.

A fun activity with a lasting use. I loved all the creative ideas kicked around as we played together. I can see variations on this theme popping up for years. 🙂

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {happy times}, {Jessica Sprague}