Crazy

I’ve been running around like crazy trying to get the kids ready to go back to school. They go back on the ninth, and we are squeezing a trip in to visit my grandparents in Port Sulphur this weekend before they have to go back. We honestly haven’t been up to much around here, which is why there haven’t been many updates on my blog!

I finally ended up picking out this food processor to review from CSN Stores. I should be doing that review sometime next week. They shipped it out right away, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

In other news, I was completely shocked the other day when I tried to copy something to my computer and it rejected it because I didn’t have enough room on it?! WHAT? This laptop is HUGE with a dual core processor, and I bought it specifically for digital scrapping. It turns out, my digital supply obsession has gotten out of control! I have over 30 GB of digital supplies alone. That’s not counting completed layouts that I’m waiting to print. Then, on top of that I have 12 GB of music. (That’s my other obsession.) I have a lot of other junk on here too. It’s ridiculous!

I’ve embarked on a massive deleting, tagging, and organizing mission. It’s taking up a lot of my time, but it’s going to all be worth it in the end. I’ll be able to find things much quicker. I’m pretty sure that Santa Claus is going to have to bring me an external hard drive for Christmas because I don’t picture myself not buying digital supplies anymore.

I have also been scrapbooking, but then I’m sure you already knew that! I have quite a few layouts to share.

I can feel my Mom cringing right now. Sorry Mom! It's a darling photo!

Journaling: I love this cheeky photo of my Mom when she was two.

Supplies: Manda Girl's Vacation Template #3, Audrey Neal's Fresh Kit from The Daily Digi, Jen Allyson's Solid Orange & Co. Notions Papers, Heather Roselli's Play Kit (Orange Paper Recolored), Bren Boone Designs My New Story Kit (Green Felt Leaf Recolored), Sweet Shoppe Designs Memories Kit (Alpha), and Typewriter font.

Journaling: Lady's routine is the same every day. She eats, then sleeps. She's getting older, but she's a good dog! May 2010

I used my July Scrapbook Deals 4 You kit featuring Max and Whiskers paper from Basic Grey. I was inspired by Inspired Blueprints Sketch #48.

Other supplies: Creative Imaginations Brown Glitter Alphabet, Brown Embroidery Floss, Unknown Brown Ribbon, and Unknown Felt Button.

Journaling: Lady was supposed to be MY dog! You can see how well that is working out here! 8/2009

I used my Scrapbook Deals 4 You July kit featuring Max and Whiskers papers from Basic Grey. I was also inspired by Inspired Blueprints sketch #52.

Other supplies: October Afternoon Mini Market Alpha, and Creative Imaginations Brown Glitter Alpha.

You should be able to read the journaling. If you can’t, click on the image above for a larger view.

Supplies: Manda's Scrappin' Creations Template, Jennifer Barrette Designs' Feet in the Sand Kit, Traci Reed Kinda Cleen Bad Sewing Machine Stitching, Zoe Pearn Small & Mighty alpha, Vaguely Repulsive Font, Faith True's Wooden Frame (Right), and Flerg's SYTYCD W2 Frame (Middle).

You should be able to read the journaling. If you can’t, click on the image above for a larger view.

Supplies: Scrapbooks Etc. Quick Collage (Road Trip), Audrey Neal's Road Trip paper and embellishments, Wild Dandelions Fun on the Fourth kit (Yellow Button), Vaguely Repulsive Font, Emily Giovanni Black Paper, Flergs SYTYCD Everyday Kit (Cork Paper), and Bellisae's Endless Love Kit (Red Prima Flower).

Journaling: Brandon, I love how nothing makes you happier than being outside in the sunshine. Your smiles make me so happy! August 2008

I used my Scrapbook Deals 4 You July kit featuring Max and Whiskers paper. I was inspired by Sassy Lil' Sketches July 21st sketch, and I used the title/lyrics from the Scrapping the Music Challenge.

Other supplies: Light Blue and Brown Bazzill Cardstock, Brown Cats Eye Ink, Unknown Felt Flower Button, Black Embroidery Floss, and Creative Imaginations Brown Glitter Alpha.

10/2007 My baby swimming in the kitchen sink. Journaling: Brandon loved bathing in the kitchen sink. He was a cute little fish!

I used my July Scrapbook Deal 4 You kit featuring Max and Whiskers papers. I was inspired by a layout by Shannon Zickel on page 104 of August 2009’s Scrapbooks Etc.

Soon

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll remember my review of CSN Stores. I got some really cool shoes to review from them a little over a month ago. Guess what? They contacted me again, and asked me to do another review soon! I am so excited, and I just can’t wait to share my opinion with everyone. This time I have my eye on some of the gorgeous dinnerware sets in the store. It’s going to be hard to choose! Is there a specific product that you would like to see me review? More shoes? Children’s toys? Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you are interested in.

While you wait for my review, you can visit any of CSN’s 200+ stores! They have everything from baby supplies to furniture. Happy shopping!

P.S. If you want to read my last review for CSN click here.

Praying for Time

I haven’t had a ton of time to scrapbook lately. With Summer winding up, things are getting crazy around here. We’re trying to cram in last minute activities, and doing back to school preparations. All fun, but not very conducive to scrapping! Here are the few layouts I’ve managed to come up with…

For a challenge on a site where we had to use blue and green, bling, two photos of ourselves, and use a "diva related" title and journaling.

I really struggled with this one because, I am so not a diva according to the regular definition of diva. (Someone girlie, spoiled, demanding, famous, etc.) I'm rather low maintenance. LOL

Journaling: Even though I don't wear makeup every day or always remember to pluck my eyebrows, I am still a diva. I am a strong, positive, vibrant woman! Heather May '10

I was inspired by Ally Scraps June Sketch. I made the spiral flower centers and tucked bling down into them.
Other supplies: Making Memories Velvet Brads, and Unknown Bling.

Journaling: I love this Dr. Seuss quote because it reminds me to take time to listen to your thoughts and feelings about things. Even though you are small, your opinions always matter to me. Love, Mom Brandon James Landry

Supplies: Elegant Word Art (Title), Audrey Neal's 123 Template, Audrey Neal Organic Kit (Wooden Button), Paislee Press Fresh Linens Kit (Frame), Meredith Fenwick Acrylic Star, Connie Prince's Deck the Halls Kit (Brown Ribbon), Fonts are Typewriter and Darcy Baldwin's Britney, Gina Cabrera's Kraft paper, Audrey Neal's Spring Sing Kit (Solid Paper Recolored), Flergs Staple from SYTYCD kit, and Jen Allyson's Notions Blue & Co. paper pack.

Journaling: We made spooky spider cupcakes for Halloween. Jordan ate at least three spiders! Oct. 2009 Heather and Jordan J. Landry.

I used my October 2009 Scrapbook Deals 4 You kit with a few additions.

I also used a sketch from The Color Room's #12 palette, but not the color scheme. Other supplies: SEI Black Orchid Alpha (Green)

Journaling: I laugh every time I see this photo! Me, my brothers, and my best friend Lisa Smelser, all dressed up to go trick or treating. My brothers and I were vampires, + Lisa was an Indian princess. I even wore my black nightgown to complete my scary costume! 1997

I used a July Pagemaps Sketch. The stitching took half of forever! I also used my October 2009 Scrapbook Deals 4 You kit. (With a few additions!)

Other supplies: Black embroidery floss, Bo Bunny Boo Crew Rub Ons (Spider), 7 Gypsies Halloween Sticker, and Green Glitter Chipboard Thickers.

Muddy Water

I am an Aunt again! Zachary is my 2nd nephew and he is cute as all get out. He looks a whole lot like his older brother Christian.

My Mom came up this weekend to visit. She and I took the kids to Fountainbleau State Park in Mandeville, Louisiana. I got some photos of the kids that I love, and that always makes for a good weekend. This photo only shows about half of the huge live oak tree that Brandon was trying to climb. He’s such a typical boy!

Mom and the girls taking a break on a limb of the oak tree. The tree was so huge that the limbs were actually lying on the ground in places.

The lighting in this photo, and the look on her face just makes me sigh. She wasn’t very cooperative with smiling for photos, but I was lucky enough to capture this one.

This is my niece, the OTHER Lexie! She became a big sister again this week, so she’s had a lot of excitement going on lately. She’s growing up to be such a pretty girl!

Usually when the other Lexie comes over to play, the girls fight like cats and dogs. I’m happy to say that they didn’t this time, and Brandon even got in on the love too. This photo just makes me smile.

After the kids let me take photos, I rewarded them by bringing them to the beach by the lake in the same state park. They played in the fountains too. They kept stepping on the fountains to make the water stop flowing and giggling.

I totally love this photo. It is my new desktop background. You can see the muddy water in Lake Ponchartrain. I didn’t let my kids swim because I checked the beach advisory site before heading out and there was a warning against swimming. So they played in the sand and dipped their toes in the water. They still had a blast.

This is my favorite photo of Alexis from our trip. She really loved kicking the sand around, but wasn’t a big fan of the “dirty water”. She thinks all water should be crystal clear so she can see where she’s putting her feet. I don’t blame her! I love how the wind was blowing her hair. Even though it was windy, it was NOT cool. It was ridiculously hot and we were only able to stay for about an hour.

I’m looking forward to a more relaxing time this week, with less appointments so I’m excited about that. Hopefully I’ll get some time to scrapbook!

Hurricane Preparedness for Crafters

I really wanted to share this link with all of my fellow scrapbookers who live in areas that are prone to flooding or hurricanes. Many of my friends and family members lost an incredible amount of priceless memories and keepsakes during Katrina so this is an issue near and dear to my heart. I found a wonderful post on the website at Scrappersaurus.com about what to do to prepare your memories and keepsakes in case of a hurricane. It is a must read! (Scroll down to find the hurricane portion of the tips.)

http://www.scrappersaurus.com/Tipsandtech.html

Thank you Dee for compiling this information for everyone. I will definitely be making some changes to my own hurricane preparation!

Read A Book

We have a lot going on here as usual! We spent this past Saturday in the emergency room with Jordan. One of the side effects of her medicine is constipation. She didn’t go for days, and she got impacted and ended up with a 102 fever. She was really lethargic and refused to eat or drink. I brought her to the emergency room and we spent five hours there. She’s all better now. She just gets sick so easily.

Lately I’ve been going to lots of appointments with the kids. I haven’t had much time to scrap, clean house, or anything else. Today we took a break and went to the party celebrating the end of the Summer reading program at the library. I can’t believe the Summer is almost over! My kids go back to school on the 9th. I’m already working on buying school supplies and uniforms.

Here are a few photos from the library party! Aren’t they cute? Lexie had a rainbow painted on her face. Brandon had an ice cream cone, and Jordan had balloons. I was really surprised that Brandon sat still and let the woman paint his face.

They got to ice and decorate cookies with sprinkles. When they finished decorating, they ate them of course!

On the way home, I got a phone call from the psychiatrist’s office. Alexis’ blood work came back and they discovered that her cholesterol is high. I can not for the life of me figure out how it would be high. She eats tons of fiber, fruits, and vegetables. I don’t feed her anything fried, and we rarely go out to eat. My grandma thinks it’s a side effect of one of the medicines she’s on, but I haven’t been able to find it listed in any of the literature. She’s going to see the pediatrician next week for a repeat blood test to make sure it wasn’t just an inaccurate result. Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

Later in this week I’ll be posting a digital template that I made from a recent layout of mine, so be on the look out for that Thursday!

Square One

I've got a post up today at Ideas For Scrapbookers! I made a digital template and sketch out of a layout that I made recently.

Belly Button?
by Heather J. Landry
Scrapbook.com

Here is a preview of the template...

Head over to Ideas for Scrapbookers to get the download link!

http://ideasforscrapbookers.blogspot.com/2010/07/bellybutton-sketchtemplate.html

Nothing But Flowers

I have a tutorial up at Ideas for Scrapbookers today! (Scroll down for the link.) It’s all about how I made these denim and burlap flowers. Here’s the detailed shot of the finished flowers.

This is the completed layout where I used them.

This is an older photo of my grandfather. It was all beat up, so I figured the distressing would work with it.

Journaling: He believes in fast cars & freedom. Barton Longman 1957.

Supplies: Unknown Silver and Black Brads. Graphic 45 Playtimes Past Papers, Martha Stewart Branch Punch. (For a full supply list click on the image.)

Head on over to Ideas for Scrapbookers to check the tutorial out here… http://ideasforscrapbookers.blogspot.com/2010/07/burlap-and-denim-flowers.html

Share A Little

It’s been a while since I’ve shared layouts, so I thought I would pop in for a minute and post a few.

Journaling: Ronnie + Jordan carved some bootiful pumpkins together. Ronnie always helps the kids with the carving after they draw the faces on. They look like they had fun! October 2008

I used my October 2009 Scrapbook Deals 4 You kit, and a sketch from July 2010 from Becky Fleck. (PageMaps)
The pumpkin on the top of the bow is a button I bought in a Halloween pack at Michaels. The sticker is from 7 Gypsies Halloween collection.

Journaling: I'm "haunted" by the memory of Lexie gutting her poor, innocent pumpkin. Halloween 2009

I used my Oct. 2009 Scrapbook Deals 4 You kit on this layout. I also used a sketch from the Sketch Inspiration Ning site.

My grandma will be happy to see that I finally figured out the ribbon punch she gave me last Christmas. Thanks to Michelle for helping me find a ribbon tying tutorial too.

Journaling: The entire Landry boo crew disemboweling pumpkins. They are ruthless pumpkin killers! Alexis, Mom, + Jordan Oct. 2009

I used my Scrapbook Deals 4 You October 2009 kit on this one. I loved all of the embellies she included.

I used a sketch from http://allyscrapsblog.blogspot.com/.
Other supplies: Basic Grey Eerie Clear Acrylic Stamps, Martha Stewart Halloween Stamps, 7 Gypsies Halloween stickers.

I can't get enough of the colors of this kit with black and white photos. Forgive me! LOL This one about all the fun/crazy ways Jordan expresses herself! She's an absolute hoot because she makes the funniest faces. These photos were all taken today in the car.

Supplies: Sweet Shoppe Designs Memories kit and template. DJB Brittany Script Font.

Journaling: Ronnie and Brandon are two peas in a pod. They even gave me a similar face when I tried to take photos of them on the 4th of July. Boys sure are silly sometimes.

Supplies: Jessica Sprague's We Kit, DJB Brittany Font, and The Shabby Shoppe Template Challenge #3.
I entered this in the challenge at the Wacom Pen Scrappers site. Check me out here...

http://www.penscrappers.com/2010/07/05/you-me-heather-landry/ Don't forget to vote! It doesn't have to be for mine! LOL

My silly kiddos in the sprinkler in the backyard.

I used a digital template by Cindy Schnieder that came in the Sweet Shoppe Designs Memories kit. I also used embellishments and papers from the same kit. The only exception being the sprinkler spray from Scrap Orchard's Wet and Wild collaboration. The font is DJB Brittany print.

Journaling: I love it when the three of you play together nicely. It warms my heart! 6/2008 (Brandon was just walking really well, and he could finally chase the girls around the front yard.)

Based on a sketch from Sassy Lil Sketches' blog. I followed a tutorial by my friend Nancy to make the green flower in the upper corner.

Supplies: Random Bazzill CS and buttons from my stash, Primas, Basic Grey Rub ons, and October Afternoon journaling stickers.

This is the saga of Brandon's belly button. It had the hardest time healing, and they ended up having to do surgery to form a new belly button for him. What's not written in the journaling on this page (it will be on a future one) is that while they were making the new belly button, they found a hernia and repaired it. The hernia re-occurred a few months later. He's had so many tummy troubles. I wanted to leave a TON of room for journaling, so I kept this one super simple.

The journaling is easier to read if you click on the image and open it in a new window.

I guess you can tell I got my mojo back since the last time I blogged! I’ve been BUSY scrapping.

Cool, Clear Water

It has been raining here for over a week now. That meant that we weren’t expecting to do anything outside for the 4th of July. After lunch, the rain seemed to be letting up though. We were all so excited when Ronnie’s friend Chuck called to invite us to swim in his gorgeous salt water pool. So we packed our suits, sunscreen, swimmers, and towels! Then we hit the road. About halfway through the ride, I looked back and saw this. I grabbed my camera and snapped away. Sometimes being a big sister isn’t easy. Especially when your siblings use you as a car pillow. Poor Lexie! She took it all in stride though and was actually giggling about it.

Since I’m a scrapbooker, I stayed out of the pool for the first 30 minutes to take photos. Ronnie corralled the kids admirably. It helped that we had them so covered with floaties that they couldn’t sink if they wanted to.

Alexis panicked at first with just the arm floaties. Every time before she’s had a ring too, but I wanted to teach her how to swim a bit better. She caught on pretty quickly and was cruising around the pool in no time. She took breaks on a raft when her arms got tired.

Jordan is my little daredevil. The first thing she wanted to do was jump off of the side of the pool into the water. No half measures for this one! Look at that mischievous grin. 

Brandon took to the big pool like a duck to water (or maybe even a frog). I was a little worried that he’d panic since he couldn’t feel the bottom, but he didn’t at all. He was so big. He paddled all around, and kept making frog motions with his feet. I was thrilled when I looked at this photo after I loaded it to the computer. I caught him in perfect frog pose. LOL

To end this blog post, Brandon does his impression of Mr. T in MY sunglasses. “I pity the fool who doesn’t get to go swimming on the 4th of July!”

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! I’ll be back soon to share layouts. Maybe in a day or two!

7 Things

My friend Julie gave me a blog award today. I always love visiting her blog because she is an amazing writer. Go visit her, and I promise you won’t be disappointed! The stories about how she met her husband are fabulous. I’ve been reading her blog for years now.

“This award is to recognize good design, writing, photos, etc.; to network amongst other bloggers; inspire content ideas, etc.

Conditions of the award stipulate that I need to share seven things about myself and then pass on this award to other wonderful bloggers.”

So here are my 7 (rather random) things…

1. I am a danger to myself when it comes to the adhesive used in scrapbooking. I frequently glue myself to paper or random bits or scraps and forget until my husband says, “What on earth is that on your arm?” I had a letter “z” glued to my arm for days. Those Thickers have some strong adhesive. It stayed on in the shower and everything.

2. I am not an optimist. I believe that can go wrong will go wrong, in a big hurry too. I am overly cautious as a result.

3. I am a scrapbook supply hoarder. I have the hardest time giving things away because I might need it later. This doesn’t apply to any other possessions of mine. I frequently donate clothes, toys, dishes, and other things. It’s just scrappy supplies. I need a 12x12 step program!

4. Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon listening to Prince songs after a harrowing day bringing the children out in the rain to therapy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I have musical ADHD. I think it would be awesome if Glee did Prince songs when they come back.

5. I’m beginning to realize that I’m getting older. (I won’t say old because my friend Michelle who is older than me freaks out when I say I’m old.) I realized this when I heard some of the more popular music from my teen years converted into elevator music the other day. I really have issues with this! (The wrinkles don’t help either!)

6. If I had a million dollars, I’d spend at least half of it at Ikea. I secretly dream of having completely modern furniture with clean lines, and more storage than I know what to do with. I also secretly dream of a day when my children will no longer stick stickers to the cruddy furniture I do have, but that will probably never happen.

7. I have fifteen pairs of scissors in my house. That makes it really hard to hide them from children who want to cut their own hair, or the dog’s hair, or my hair for that matter.

Those are my 7 things! I’m tagging…

1. Nancy

2. Michelle

3. Liz

4. Amanda

5. Leah

6. Jade

7. Laurie