Memory Keeping Monday

Hello! It's Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas to all. Hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of 2012 with family and friends ... eating, relaxing, storytelling, laughing and making memories!

Today, I have a few pages to share with you.

If you are in the mood to do some Digital Scrapbook shopping this morning ... AC Digitals has a bunch of new items in the store this week...and they are on sale. All amazing, colorful and versatile kits. Becky Higgins Olive Edition Project Life is on sale and available now. Here's one with Crate Paper's Snow Day Collection. I love the non-traditional, bright colors that make up this kit! So much warm, sunshine glow found in these elements and papers. There are a lot of Christmas elements in the kit too, it's not just snow day stuff. Check it out here.

Snow Day 

Available at AC Digitals

Crate Paper's Snow Day Collection

Snow Day Paper Pack

Snow Day Element Pack 1

Snow Day Element Pack 2

Other Supplies:

Patti Knox: Gemstone Swirls

Katie Pertiet: Taped Together Frames No2

Katie Pertiet: Wintery Clusters

Anna Aspnes:  Stitched by Anna White No4

Somehow I missed posting this layout 2 weeks ago. Not sure how that happened. It's Crate Paper's On Trend Collection and was just so perfect for what was going on in life at that moment, which was my daughter's room re-do. With black, turquoise, zebra prints and peacock feathers ... this kit was made to match the photos I had been taking that week, to document my girl getting a new room. Can't wait to go back to this kit, once the room is painted and fully redecorated. Honestly, I could see this kit being used for so many layouts ... it's so fun and girly!

Smile ... You're Getting a New Room

Available at AC Digitals

Crate Paper's On Trend Collection

On Trend Element Pack 1

On Trend Element Pack 2

On Trend Element Pack 3

On Trend Paper Pack 1

On Trend Paper Pack 2

Other Supplies: Jessica Sprague: Frame

And here's a page done as a sample for Jessica Sprague's Photoshop Friday | Using a Scanned Item where I scanned in little love notes, given to me by my daughter, from year's past that I have saved. It features the latest from Jenni Bowlin | Red & Black Extension Kit 3 ... which is 40% today!

Love Notes from Yesterday Jenni Bowlin
Red & Black Extension Kit 3  Definition Labels
Rhinestone Buttons & Bows
Jenni Bowlin Timeless Treasure: Freebie (rose)
Printed Tickets Baby Boy & Girl
Valentine Bingo Card Kit

Pink Paislee
Shabby Sugarland Elements
Spellbound Element Pack
Spellbound Paper Pack
Kraft Capers Paper Pack

enjoy your week! xoxo jenn

Memory Keeping Monday

I just want to take a moment to remember the people of Newtown CT this morning. It's been a devasting few days. Newtown CT is one of the lovely little towns that we considered on our short list of places to live, once we knew we were moving back East from our few years of living in California. Even though we did not end up there, it is only a short drive away ... and there are people within our community who know those in Newtown that are hurting deeply. This tragedy, especially at a time of year that is supposed to be filled with love, happiness & family, has effected everyone ... near and far. It has opened our eyes, hopefully not for just a little while, but forever ... hopefully to find better ways to come together and make our nation, our world, a safer, more loving place.

Sending much love to all in Newtown CT.

I do have a little update and Layout to share this morning.

We are half way through December, and I've been trying to stay ahead of the holiday hustle and bustle this year. All gifts are already wrapped and under the tree. Everything is done is except the baking and cooking. I plan to do the baking with the kids next week when we are all home and enjoying our recess. Our big family get together is not until the weekend after Christmas for lots of reasons this year. So, for the first time in many, many years ... it will just be the four of us waking up on Christmas morning ... here .... in our own home. Not sure that has ever even happened since we moved in over 7 years ago! I never say this, but I am secretly wishing for a little snow. Since we don't have to drive, I think it would be pretty, fun and the prefect touch to our little family holiday. But it is looking like that is not going to happen.

As the busy days leading up to Christmas start to close in... with decorating the inside of the house (we kind of fail at decorating the outside lately), shopping and wrapping gifts, the kids' school work being piled on these last few weeks, winter soccer season in full gear, a wedding we attended last weekend, a few holiday parties have snuck in, and we have our daughter's first orchestra concert of the school year to attend this week ... it's been a bit of light week of scrapbooking for me, so I have just one layout to share today:

This layout is made with Amy Tangerine's Collection found at AC Digitals, brand new in the shop today and on sale.

Sew Fun

American Crafts:

Amy Tangerine Element Pack 3

Amy Tangerine Element Pack 2

Amy Tangerine Paper Pack 1

Katie Pertiet:

Stitched Frames

-jenn xoxo

Memory Keeping Monday

I have a few layouts to share with your this lovely (all be it cold) Monday morning.

These two layouts were designed to go along with Jessica Sprague's Photoshop Friday series, as examples of other ways to make the theme your own.

First up is from PSF 2012 : Create a Custom Brush 
I chose to make a custom brush from the lovely background paper by Glitz Girls' Cashmere Dame Kit. I instantly fell in love with the fun hexagon pattern and painterly feel of the paper.

isn't she lovely Glitz Girls -Cashmere Dame (background paper) - coming soon!

Dani Mogstad
All American Summer Complete Kit
Birds of a Feather Complete Kit
Flying High Complete Kit
Hometown Proud Complete Kit
Just Stay Little Complete Kit  

This page is from the latest PSF 2012: Use the Diamond Custom Shape

I used Jodie Lee's new Mixed Media Papers and loads of goodies from Jenni Bowlin Studios' mercantile series. 

picture of you Jodie Lee
Mixed Media Papers - coming soon!

Jenni Bowlin Studios
Mercantile Mix Paper Collection 2
Mercantile Mix Paper Collection 4
Mercantile Labels
Jeweled Butterflies
Printed Tickets Stars & Stats

Did I mention that Jessica Sprague is having their annual Holiday sale? 20% off classes and 30% off digital supplies. 

And this is just a fun little layout about the first signs of snow this season (it didn't amount to much), but my son ran out with our pup, who has never experienced the snow, and the fun the two had together ... didn't last too long as he was wearing short sleeves!

Snow Pup Splendid Fiins
kinda sketchy album templates-12x12
Winter Wonderland patterned paper
Teen (add-on) elements
see above for details -circle stamps  

The Holiday Sale is on at Jessica Sprague. 20% off currently registering classes (make great gifts!) and 40% off digital supplies! So awesome. 

30 Days Of Gratitude ... November 8 through 14

I'm doing my 30 days of Gratitude Project Life style.

Sorry for the delay in posting these pages, but I used the new Baby Project Life kits from Becky Higgins and as you know ... unless you've been living under a digital scrapbooking rock for the last 24 hours, the Grand Opening of the AC Digitals website wasn't announced until yesterday. Been sitting on my fingers in anticipation...

Here are Days 8 through 14. You can see Days 1 through 7 here, if you missed it.

This week I am Thankful for this:

November 8: Making sweet rolls with my girl, I am thankful for the little things in life that still give my kids joy and make them smile. The simple things are sometimes the sweetest. It can often take a lot to please an adult, or to make an adult go from grumpy to cheerful ... but a child just needs to know they are loved, and perhaps, a little sugar to sweeten their day!

November 9: Thankful for how listening in on a conversation you have with yourself (and your iPhone app,Talking Tom) can make me laugh out loud so hard.

November 10: An unexpected visit from Nan, who was tired of sitting in the dark after the
2nd storm hit the Jersey shore. We sat around watching The Food Network all day. And there was some tickling & lots of laughs too. Thankful for family.

November 11: Thankful on Veteran's Day to those who gave and those who continue to give so much for our freedom. A special thank you to my Dad for volunteering and to all my family members who went to wars.

November 12: Thankful for a near perfect day off from school for the kids, spent with friends ... kids just being kids.

November 13: Thankful we are among the families giving food for the Scouts' yearly Thanksgiving Baskets, rather than being on the receiving end. Thankful we could give our surplus of items purchased for Sandy (which we ended up not needing) to the organized  efforts throughout our community. Thankful our pantry is stocked. We are fortunate and blessed.

November 14: Although it isn't always easy, in fact most days it can be downright difficult, I am thankful both my children are Honor Roll students. I hope this attention to studies and education continues as they turn the corner to high school and college.

Here are my Project Life pages up close.  

Product Credits:

New from Becky Higgins: Baby Project Life Digital Kit, while this kit was designed for newborn baby moments, I just could not resist the fabulous color scheme of the yellow and grey, and decided to make it work with my pages. I kept these two pages really simple and used all papers and cards from the Baby kit. Then I simply added some amazing elements from American Crafts' Soho Garden Element Pack 1 ... two kits, match made in heaven!

Becky Higgins:
Digital Project Life Templates
Baby Papers
Baby 4x6 Prompts
Baby First & Last Page Cards
Baby Journaling & Filler Cards 

Pebbles:
Seen & Noted EP1

Glitz Girls:
French Kiss Kit (chalkboard paper)

And here are Days 15 through 21:

Credits:

Becky Higgins:
Digital Project Life Templates
Baby Him Papers
Baby Him 4x6 Prompts
Baby Him Title Cards

Pebbles:
Seen & Noted EP1 

American Crafts:
Ready Set Go EP1

Glitz Girls:
French Kiss Kit (chalkboard paper)

Stay tuned ... for my special Thanksgiving Day pages and the final week of my 30 Days of Gratitude Project Life layouts ... coming soon!

Thanks for looking. -xoxo jenn

Memory Keeping Monday ... exciting news!

So excited to share this awesome news with you! Becky Higgins has teamed up with American Crafts and put together a brand new website, AC Digitals, that will offer their products in digital format! The site is fresh, clean, easy to navigate and just plain awesome!

Today is the Grand Opening and the celebration is well under way with Freebies, prizes and a huge sale!

You can even find Becky Higgin's Project Life Baby, Baby Her, and Baby Him available now! (That's right, before, the paper releases! Sometimes it pays to be a digi scrapper!)

I am so incredibly lucky to be on the Creative Team for this brand new website, along with many of my favorite digital scrapbookers. Here are some of the layouts I've been dieing for the chance to share with you all:

 This layout is 100% goodness from Crate Paper's Acorn Ave. Love! (Did I mention this is 25% off?!)

And this page is 100% Amy Tangerine's Ready Set Go! collection. (Ahem, also 25% off!) This is the series of photos that I used for my Technique Thursday tutorial ... how to add drama to your photo's sky.

Love, love, love these digital collections! To stay in the loop, make sure you sign up for the newsletter!

That's it for now ... so, go, hurry ... download your freebies from AC Digitals now! And do a little shopping while your there ... you deserve it!

-xoxo jenn

What's For Dinner Weekly ... my menu planner

It's been awhile since I posted my What's For Dinner Weekly series. Got off the meal planning wagon with the busy hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving and all that went on before and after the holiday. But trying to do better in the last few weeks that lead up to Christmas ...

Sunday: Turkey Pot Pie Soup
skinnytaste.com

Monday: Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce (recipe copyright 2012 by Eugenia Bone), this just looks so light and yummy ... and easy.
marthastewart.com

Tuesday: Soccer night ... need something quick and easy ... so I am reverting back to a recipe from the old South Beach Diet days ... Veggie Quesadillas made with whole grain tortillas, fresh guacamole and salsa ... and loaded with lots of fresh veggies like spinach, red pepper, onion, mushroom, zuchinni and low fat cheese.
photo from: iateapie.net  (this is not the recipe, but you get the basic idea)

Wednesday: Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo with soup
pauladeen.com

Thursday: Chinese Chicken Salad
ladieshomejournal

Friday: Thyme Garlic Chicken Breasts ... I love that it is served over a bed of greens making it an all inclusive meal.
betterhomesandgarden

Saturday: Pumpkin, Chickpea and Red Lentil Stew ... I always make the smae old beef stew when the weather cools down, but this recipe got my attention. Looks hearty, healthy and stick to your ribs good.
betterhomesandgarden