2Peas Video: Pebbles Seen & Noted

This week's Memory Keeping Monday video centers around the geotag. The funny little mapping symbol that's so popular right now. Every time I see it, it reminds me of Google maps. My assignment was to do an "in review"page. I feel like so many of my pages are already an "in review" type, so I decided to add a little twist - symbols.

It started with the Silhouette geotag shape, the arrows in the patterned paper and then finally the longitude and latitude coordinates for one of our favorite islands.

The story is about Nico and his love of the ocean. Near or in the water is where you could find him on this vacation.

This layout is copyright twopeasinabucket.com

The bold color scheme, die cuts and patterned paper are all Pebbles' Seen & Noted. To take a peek at how the page came together, you can watch the video here:

SUPPLIES USED:

Pebbles Seen & Noted Mini Polaroid Folders Seen & Noted Journaling Cards Ki Memories Flashback Reasons Enamel Dots Lily Bee Alphabet

InLinkz.com

And the winner of an Echo Park collection of her choice is...

Melinda said...

I love your non traditional Christmas colors! It's always so nice to see something other than red and green for Christmas!

NOVEMBER 19, 2012 9:23 AM 
Melinda, please email me with your choice and mailing address and we'll get it right out to you. Thanks for hopping along with the Echo Park team.

Jillibean Pumpkin Chowder Soup

First, a page I made for the Jillibean Soup blog using the Country Pumpkin Chowder collection. It's about Nico and how thankful we are to have him and how much he changed our lives. I used pictures from the past - I think he was a year old in those and then some from years later. I like using 'then' and 'now' photos on a page. You can see how quickly kids change.

I love the little trees in this collection, so I used them as a focal point of the design. The sewn triangles lead the eye to my favorite photo. The pop of orange and intertwined circles add texture and interest to the design.

And speaking of thankful, we've been coming down from the carb overload otherwise known as Thanksgiving. It was crazy and loud and everything we love. Too much food, lots of family and kids running around. We totally crashed this weekend...

And then he opened the book. The most important book of the season. Hello Toys R Us.

He gets a Sharpie and methodically looks at each and every thing. Then he circles like mad. We went from Thanksgiving to Christmas in the span of one toy book.

Happy Turkey Day

This is the 15th Thanksgiving dinner we've hosted at our house. In a row. Let's just say I have the prep and set up down to a science. It took me years to figure it out. A bit of work each day for a week and when the big day arrives, I get to to enjoy it too. Mostly.

I woke up at the crack of dawn to put the bird in. The house is so quiet, it's still dark outside. I was thinking that in a few hours, it will be utter chaos in here. Good, funny, happy loud family chaos. 26 guests this year - some friends, some family, a bunch of kids, one new baby and a great-grandmother.

I predict that there will be at least one argument about politics (maybe two), 3 broken dishes, 2 report cards that are bragged about, one Band-Aid dispensed, a tray of uneaten lasagna left (yes lasagna, don't even ask), four screaming matches about the football game, 10 photos taken (yup, just 10), many games of dominoes, one dessert that never gets served, a dozen spats amongst the little ones, 6 loaves of Italian bread too many and countless family stories about Thanksgiving past retold.

Not perfect, like you see on television. But perfect for this crazy clan I call family. I'm blessed to have them all.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Echo Park Hop

Welcome to the Echo Park blog hop today! I created this card using the Happy Holidays mini-theme kit. It's a very simple card that I put together in just a few minutes. The accordion flowers were cut out of vellum with the Silhouette and are perfect for adding some opaque texture to the card.

Be sure to follow the blog hop list below as you hop from one blog to the next. Return to the Echo Park Paper blog at any time for the next blogger on the list in case you get lost or confused! ONE winner will be selected from each blog to receive an Echo Park Paper collection kit of their choosing. To qualify for the kit, comments will be due by midnight EST, Sunday, November 25, 2012 to qualify for the drawing. 

Echo Park Paper

Kandis Smith

Davinie Fiero

Susan Stringfellow

Tamara Tripodi  

Linda Auclair

Lowri McNabb

Wendy Sue Anderson

Jennifer Gallacher 

Echo Park Fall Fever

This layout is big on photo and low on journaling - not usually my style. I really didn't have much to say about this old shot other than I love it. So I played up some pretty product (Echo Park's Fall Fever) and a clever little title. I had to find a way to tie the 'owl' thing in. I couldn't just use random owls. Can't do it.

The very thin 'everyday' was cut with a Silhouette. I love how it can handle intricate shapes without shredding them. The banner negative was also cut with the Silhouette. The button in the title is simply there for necessity. I needed some way to stick that long banner to my photo. That button hides the adhesive. The rest of the title is stapled on.

For more instructions and tips on how to cut vellum with a Silhouette see this Echo Park Paper blog post.

SUPPLIES USED:

Echo Park Fall Fever Sticker Echo Park Fall Fever Paper Echo Park Fall Fever Paper Echo Park Fall Fever Paper Echo Park Fall Fever Paper

InLinkz.com

Hello Halloween

Halloween finally came for kids in New Jersey last night. And these three were non the wiser that they missed it by almost a week.

We followed the usual traditions....the cousins, grandparents, pizza party and dressed the house up. We've been celebrating this way since Nico was born.

But it was hard. My heart really wasn't 100 percent into it for the first time. It's hard to move on when there's so much devastation in my home State. Heck, half the kids across town are still in the dark. My niece and nephew haven't been to school since the 26th.

And yet...we get up everyday and try to get back to our routines. Support our neighbors, donate, celebrate, count our blessings and keep traditions. Life goes on.