My Croppy Summer Assignment #31

Full Moon, take 2. The walk. We made it to the destination we were headed to last night - Olde Town. If it had been a little earlier and it wasn't the first, official school night, we'd have walked around a little more. Nonetheless we walked, I took photos and we made it to our destination. Scrumptious. The local candy-homemade-ice-cream-shoppe.

A shot down the walk. All late-1800, early-1900 facades filled with little shops, a narrow street and wide pathways. Strip out the asphalt for dirt and the concrete for wood and not much has changed.

Bathed in the glow of the neon signs (okay so a few things have changed) I managed to drag the kids' view from the goodies beyond the window to me long enough to snap a shot. Then it was look out, stampede ahead with bee-lines straight for the buckets, baskets and tables filled with all manner of childhood candies (both mine and theirs - Mallow Cup anyone?)

So with our little jaunt in mind and the creamy-chewy homemade chocolate ice cream still fresh in my memory, create today's layout with a vintage, homemade "flavor." This, along with the other assignments this week are due on Sunday. "My Croppy Summer" also wraps up. If you haven't had a chance to play, or keep "meaning" to, now's your chance. Because on top of the weekly drawing, I'll be drawing a name from all those who did anything for the grand prize. Happy, hot, first-day-back-to-school.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #30

I've decided to just call them Moon Walks, since I'm 0 for 2 on getting the walk in on the actual night of the full moon. Plus, the "Full Moon Walk" sort of sounds like something along the lines of "The Full Monty" and we don't do those kinds of walks.

So, we had plans for the walk last night, but with a late-ending soccer practice, then needing to eat dinner and then a couple errands to run and the plan sort of fell apart. The kids were excited for another walk, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with walking around Olde Town near the candy store. But the errands took longer than we though, so we put the plan on hold. We'll shoot for tonight. However, I was ready to capture what we did do - which ended up being the errands. Taking a cue from a couple of the classes I've taken about capturing moments, I decided to document what we DID do on this "walk" and will just add in tonight's true walk along with it.

So here's our first attempt at the second Moon Walk. My little man who when he sees the camera is a happy ham, luckily, since at any given time one of four people are aiming one at him.

Then there are my two older boys, who are much happier about the possibility of the walk than they currently appear. Really. They are. Really.

And then there's this. My 13 y.o. daughter who is: a) part vampire, b) startled by the sudden burst of light, c) is practicing her "paparazzi" moves, or d) a teenager. If you guessed, "D" then you are correct. I've told her, I'll use what ever you give me, so if you want years and years of this kind of photo, I'm okay with that. It's going in your book though, so your choice. Stay tuned.

In honor of actually attempting the Moon Walk on the actual full-moon night, though unsuccessful, create a layout today using the color gold, and at least three round items, one of them large. This, and any other assignments are due on Sunday - which will close out the "My Croppy Summer" assignments.

Enjoy your day!

Have You Been Following?

Did you go over and play at the Big Picture Festival? It wraps up today - and it's been a lot of fun. Little journaling prompts to complete, a chance to create layouts expounding on those prompts and a chance to win. I missed, which really bums me out, because I had great ideas and photos, just not enough time, but I did do one and it was really fun to "go another direction" with the photo. If you haven't been, take a jump over there and read a little, look a little and give one of the prompts a try on your next layout.

The Big Picture class in combination with Elle's Studio Blog FREE class "Journaling: In Your Own Words" has been a great exercise in thinking about what I write on my layouts. Not only getting the okay to do just the who-what-where, but also great reminders on things I already know (but forget to use) and some ideas on other directions to take my thoughts before putting pen to paper. Apron Strings is a sponsor over at Elle's, if you haven't already left your comment to win, check out HERE to do so. If you haven't followed along on the tips, I highly recommend going and reading the daily posts. They're quick, but worth the reminder; sometimes it's not always what the pictures are about. It's good to step off the page every now and then and breath a different life into typical photos.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #29

A strong showing by the boys over the weekend. Loosing their first game on Friday night, made Saturday night's game a must win to: 1) make the semi-finals on Sunday morning and 2) be able to spend the night down in the Springs. So, Saturday, it's just me and the boys and a trip in a car filled with anticipation mostly, I think, because we packed overnight bags for the "just in case."

With the need to win, and win big (we needed at least 6 points), in their heads, the boys played an awesome game and pulled out a 2-0 win (9 points!). Next up, a jaunt to an Old Chicago nearby afterwards - how I ever managed to make it anywhere in pre-GPS days is beyond me - for some pizza for the kids and beer for the adults! I used to think my 13 y.o. daughter and her friends were loud - and they are, but a team of 11 y.o. boys, celebrating a win and pulling out a semi-final game and well. . .they're no match for girls of any age! We made it back to the hotel for 20 minutes of swimming - isn't that the point of staying in a hotel when you're a kid, is to check out the room and swim in the pool?

Hubby and daughter made the trip down to join us late Saturday night, so Sunday dawns with all of us trooping down to grab breakfast and then head back out to the fields. The boys played hard against a team that was, last season, two levels higher than our boys, but they lost 5-0. It was a great little getaway and I think, even with the loss, we all enjoyed the time.

School for us should have started yesterday, but some delays at the school have us starting on Thursday instead. The start of school brings the "end" of summer, and so too, the end of the "My Croppy Summer." We'll finish out the week, do a regular drawing for the week and then a grand prize from all those who played over the summer.

Today's challenge is based on inspiration from this weekend's getaway: Start with recent photos, add some black & white and some splashes of colors in the embellishments. This layout, along with any others, will be due on Sunday.

Oh, and if you're looking for some sketch inspiration, check out Sassy Lil' Sketches. Great sketches (which we l-o-v-e), just check out the ones for today. . .BUT. . .Apron Strings is also sponsoring their blog hop going on this week. How easy would that be - use today's challenge and a Sassy sketch, link up here, link up there and get a shot at winning? Easy-peasy! She also has other chances to win, so check them out!

My Croppy Summer Assignment #28

For some reason the #5 Photo Assignment did not post in order. I fixed it so it "floated" to the top of the pile. Maybe it was a subconscious thing - given the picture. Apron Strings is popping up as a sponsor in a couple places over the weekend:

• First, over at Elle's Studio Blog during their Journaling in Your Own Words class (a FREE class), Apron Strings a featured sponsor tomorrow, the 21st. Wander over there, check out the class and leave a comment and you could win!
• Next tomorrow The Studio Challenges blog is hosting a one day cyber crop and Apron Strings has a goodie you can win. The crop is one day, but you have a week to get your items done. Looks like it's going to be fun - she has her pre-crop challenge up already.
• Finally, later today look for a "grab-it" giveaway over at Scrappily Ever After during her month-long Back-to-School challenges. Leave a comment within an hour of the post for your shot to win. There's lots of great inspiration and yummy goodies, including a couple from Apron Strings.

Today begins our jaunts down to Colorado Springs, the Air Force Academy to be exact, for the weekend long tournament. We drew late enough games for tonight and tomorrow that staying down there doesn't make sense, so we'll enjoy a lot of scenery between here and there for a couple days. Depending on the outcomes of the two games, we may stay over Saturday to Sunday because of a 9:30 AM game on Sunday - it's at least an hour and a half drive down, and we need to be at the fields 45 minutes before the game. I don't know what time that means we'd have to get up, but I'm not doing that math! Those drives and games will encompass the majority of the weekend. Any time I may have at home will be taken up with getting October goodies in line for kits.

So, since this week slipped away, there are three challenges for today will be multiple ;) First, we need a sketch, so you'll find a PageMaps sketch below:

Next - a little 5 on Friday action:

• 2 sheets cardstock
• 1 sheet patterned paper
• 1 length ribbon
• 1 set flowers or buttons

Remember, other than the listed ingredients, only journaling and a title are allowed; NO other items can be used.

And one more thing - with summer winding down, create your layout using summer photos - current photos would be great, but any summer photos will do.

Now, this will be due on Sunday evening. You can create three different layouts; one for each of the different challenges, or you can try to incorporate them all into one. Three different layouts will get you three shots at winning. :)

Okay, off you go to create and off I go for some sight-seeing.

My Croppy Summer Photo Assignment #5

No matter how nice you like your house to look, the organization that goes on, the cleaning that takes place, there are always those areas that you'd simply like to burn. The bane-of-your--existence-thank-god-there's-doors-so-I-can-close-it spaces. I have a few door-closed spaces. But then I have one or two that are open to the eyes of everyone. Like this. . . the dreaded toy corner. What is the deal with toddler toys? They're bulky, they're big and they seem to multiply on their own overnight. And how did I do this when the older three were all toddlers? I mean, really, where did I keep three kids' stuff? 'Cause it wasn't in this corner!

So your assignment - go be brave. Photograph the area(s) of your home you try to keep a secret to the world.

This is the last photo assignment. Now it's time to turn the photos you took into a layout about your house and home. The layout is due August 20th.

My Croppy Summer Winners

I don't typically post on the weekends, but we're between games (won this morning's 2-0) and there wasn't a ton of time to get anything big accomplished. So I thought I'd sort through the Christmas in July entries and entries from Week #5.

Quickly first, I did manage to get my assignment done last night for the Big Idea Festival over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. A prompt on Day One was to finisht the thought "I Learn." Little did I know they'd take that prompt and ask us to create a layout using our completed phrase. I'd have thought of something easier to scrapbook - made sure I had photos at least - before giving the answer I gave. Instead in a 9th inning scramble on how to interpret my phrase "I've learned I DON'T want to know EVERYTHING my children are doing. It can be hazardous to my health." I had to really stretch. I found a photo of my three kids, since nothing with Matthew is printed, and decided to list a few things I'd rather I didn't know. Like, "I don't need to know how you get the cereal off the top shelf of the pantry." I finished with a couple nice things like, "I don't need to know that your time under this roof is limited." Below is the layout. NOTE - it's using an August kit!! And I had 8 minutes to spare when I uploaded it. How's that for under the gun cropping? (Sorry the image isn't the best, I shot it at midnight and there's not a whole lot of natural light then.)

Winners:

1. From Christmas in July - I've got Christmas Treats going to: Patchi and Linda R! You'll get goodies in your next shipments.
2. From Week #5 (assignments #22-#25): Kai! Contact me at lori@apronstringsdesigns.com please :)
3. And because it's prize day, I have follower #81 whose ID is kimr. Please contact me at lori@apronstringsdesigns.com.

I'm still working my way through entries and leaving comments, hopefully I'll make some more progress on that tonight when I get home from this next game. Wish us luck!

Have a great weekend!

My Croppy Summer Assignment #27

Busy week. Time flies. But seriously, I didn't think it'd been so long between posts. I still don't believe it.

Have you been following the FREE class at Elle's Studio Blog? Remember the one where you can enter to win an Apron Strings goodies because AS is one of the sponsors over there. You can leave your comment HERE. Apron Strings will be sponsor-for-a-day on the 21st, check in then for sure ;) Let's show some love over there. The class has been really great so far - I love reading all the different ways, techniques and tips for capturing your words. It's definitely got me thinking. Check out all the guests and their ideas HERE.

The other Freebie I'm partaking in is the Big Picture Scrapbook Big Idea Festival - 13 days, 13 designers, 39 projects! So far, it's a nice mish-mash of ideas and projects. Plus it's FREE! Some fun stuff to do with kids, or start a new tradition with. I like it, you get a nice taste of things. Check it out HERE.

Friday. End of the week. Big tourney weekend here. First game was at 5:00 tonight - tied it, though they should have one (isn't that what all parents say?) They really should have though - a missed penalty kick. We'll have two more games tomorrow and championships will play Sunday. So that's my weekend. I do have a layout I'd like to do for the Big Picture Festival - we'll see how that goes.

Hmmm . . .so an end of the week assignment. I think it's time to use that end-of-the-line paper that you've been holding on to. You know the stuff. You bought it to use for those photos. Now those photos are already scrapbooked, with other paper, and you're still holding the paper. But you love that paper, and it's off the shelves now, you can't get more, so you're saving it. Nope. Today that ends. You're using it with other photos - perfect or imperfect. While you're at it use the end-of-the-roll ribbon and those last few buttons and those chipboard pieces you have sitting there. You can have other items, but try to use what you know you can't get any more.

Have a great weekend!

My Croppy Summer Photo Assignment #4

PLEASE NOTE: DUE DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FRIDAY, AUGUST 20TH

Really, I don't know why I try to do things during the shipping period of the month. . .it just never works the way my mind would have me think it should. Which explains why I haven't posted since Monday, though I can't believe it was Monday. . .but it's there, in black and white.

A quick clarification on the Photo Assignments before I post today's: You take the individual photos, link those to the posts and then use all the photos to create one layout - sort of "This is my home" kind of layout. Not individual layouts for each photo you shoot.

Okay, so in my home there are little touches around the house that make me happy. Little pieces of decor that say, this is where we live, this is our life. It's what makes the house a home. Some have sentimental value and some are just items that when I look at them make me smile, sometimes on the inside, sometimes on the outside. I'm a scrapbooker, so it stands to reason there are plenty of photos in my home. These are on my dresser and are of my babies - when they were babies. Please DON'T note that Matthew is not represented here. He's still a baby. They're lacy and gauzy and billow in the breezes. I love billowing curtains - it's one of my 100 Favorite Things. Wedding Day photos of two of my three sisters, my mom and my grandmother. My mom and grandmother had their wedding photos shot by the same photographer, so he "welded" their photos into one. The one sister on the left is wearing my mom's wedding dress. The "wedding wall" as everyone calls it. It's sort of the family tree in wedding day photos. There's parents, siblings and grandparents up there.
My wedding bouquet. My husband's pocket watch and boutonniere are on the opposite wall. I love the beading. Makes my dining room feel formal, which is no easy task considering there is no dining room furniture. Still . . .with four kids running rampant through the house I'll take "grown-up" where I can get it. These are from the grandmother whose recipes I have. They're little objects I remember from her home that I'm lucky enough to have. They sit on two of her cookbooks in my kitchen.
Ignoring the penguin behind the base, these catch the light and bounce little rainbows all over my family room. It only happens twice a year, for a short period of time, when the light changes and comes in through the windows high up near the ceiling. Otherwise, they still glitter, but it's the rainbows that I love. I have three of these - they are huge (seriously, huge!) and take up the drive-in-movie-screen of a wall in my family room. Really, we could show movies on that thing. Or a good game of racket ball if I were the athletic type. No, it's not a decorator touch, but these are everywhere - usually the pieces, usually on sprinkled on the floors and usually found when bare feet are around or the vacuum in going. Nope, not decor, but simple reminders of other people's collections and that for now, I still have small people running rampant in my house. Note, I have neglected to show you the socks and other assorted clothing items of said people.

So today, go out and shoot those items that make you happy and declare "this is where we live." Remember the due date for all the photos to be linked and the ONE layout featuring your photos is due August 20th.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #26

Apron Strings is one of the sponsors over on Elle's Studio Blog during their FREE Jouranling In Your Own Words class. So first you need to go HERE and enter to win for their sponsor drawings. Next you need to go HERE and start following along. I mean, really - help with journaling, cost equals FREE, chance at some goodies. I'm planning to play along - read along - work along. I'm printing out the posts just in case I miss a day. I think even if you're a decent storyteller, you can always learn something new. So come play and you could not only get a good tip to write better, but win something in the process! How fun would that be?

What to do for today. . .hmm. . .I went school supply shopping today so let's see: create a layout using primary colors, naked chipboard and ribbon. You can add other elements, but it has to include these.

Enjoy your day!

My Croppy Summer Photo Assignment #3

I suffer from chinaitis and collectorous recipedome syndrome. Both serious conditions, but as of yet there are no known cures or treatments; thank goodness. Outside of the retail therapy, that is, which has only a temporary affect on the symptoms, creating a euphoric feeling, until the next catalog or magazine arrives, then that need-it feeling sets back in. I have six different sets of dishes - that's not a typo - my husband is my enabler. When I get a new Pfaltzgraff catalog my heart races and I need to be alone, uninterrupted with the catalog. The dishes are one way I decorate for the seasons - one set for each season that I rotate in and out. So at least the fruits of my addiction are getting used ;) Below are my four seasonal sets; summer, spring, fall and winter. I also have my good china and a set of plastic-ware for outside and picnics.

I also can't seem to resist cookbooks, or recipes. But mostly cookbooks. Luckily, they too get used, but still they are, or were, taking up some serious room in my pantry and on my counter - though I did just go through my collection and kept only what I am using right now. Well, and seasonal books. And dessert books. And my husband's grilling, smoking and beer books. And all my magazines. I did recycle several subscriptions, but I wasn't using them, so away they had to go. See I have control. But I love cookbooks, especially when they have stories with them. Right now I'm partial to "Farm Chicks" and "The Pioneer Woman" (though I'm waiting for cooler temps to take on her recipes.) I used to be a big tearer-outer of recipes, and still do from time to time, butI think my magazines are keeping that "monkey" quiet. I have some recipes and cookbooks from my paternal grandmother that sit on a shelf in my kitchen along with a few other pieces I got when she passed away. I wish I had an apron or two from my maternal grandmother, who, in my memories, always seemed to be wearing one in my. Hmmm. . .aprons. I feel the tug of need.

We all have something we collect, or maybe have more than we should have of any one thing. Look around for those items that make-up part of your home decor and take a photo or two of them. These photos, along with the resulting layout will be due August 15th.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #25

Friday! Quiet, calm, semi-peaceful (it is summer break, with four kids home, after all).

In honor of this quiet create a layout that incorporates muted colors and soft embellishments. Soft peaceful colors like moss green, pale yellow, soft pink, sky blue, lavender and no hard embellishments, so no metal or plastic embellishments.

A couple reminders:

• Apron Strings is a sponsor over at Elle's Studio Blog for their FREE 3-week journaling class. Go, learn, play and win!
• Lots of goodies to be had, both school and scrap-related, HERE on Melanie's blog.
• Next week starts the FREE Big Picture Scrapbooking class Big Idea Festival - 13 days, 13 instructors 39 projects! I plan on playing along - we'll see how it goes. Might be my last hurrah before school :)

Plans for the weekend? I'd love to get out of town; it'll be our last free weekend until late October, but not sure where to go or what to do. Summer has turned me into a slug - that want to do something but can't drum up the energy to actually follow-through. LOL, and I'm okay with that, given the chaos that's coming down the pike.

Whatever you choose to do this weekend, I hope you have fun, take pictures and play.

My Croppy Summer Photo Assignment #2

It seems no matter where you set up your "staging area" for gatherings, people always migrate to somewhere else. In my family, it's usually where the food is set out. (If there's not food it's not a gathering.) The gathering spot in my house is in the kitchen and breakfast nook. I'm blessed to have a large, open floor plan along the back of the house. I can stand in my kitchen and see straight through to the family room. It's great. It's a large area that when we built the house I envisioned people would spread out in and still feel connected to the party. But nope, they group in the kitchen (around the food) and spread into the nook. I've set the food outside on the back patio and yet, people ultimately end up in the kitchen. They lean against the counters or around the table (they don't sit at it, they stand beside it, LOL) and hold drinks, nibble food from the platters and chat. They lean one way or the other to get out of the way of the running kids, but they rarely move outside this space. I've stopped fighting it, even when I'm still working in the kitchen, which is a good size kitchen when it's just me. I imagine it must be a bit like what it's like to cook on a submarine, when all those bodies are sharing the space I'm still working in: tight. That's okay. . .I don't know that I'd have it any other way. Well, maybe at clean-up time, which oddly is the only time the "gathering space" is emptied. Huh?

Take a photo of your gathering space. This along with any other photo assignments are due, including a layout using the photos, August 15th.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #24

It is a G-O-R-E-G-O-U-S day here. If I didn't know better I'd swear it was late September - cool temps (77 degrees right now), gentle breeze, cloud-dotted sky. Later we're looking at storms again, but for now. . .I'm LOVIN' it! However, this heaven only lasts today, tomorrow it's back in the 90's with the searing white light and heat. Sigh.

Today, I'm inspired by the day: create a layout incorporating sky-blue, white (if you've got some of that fun paper with clouds on it, that'd work too) and spring green, in whatever elements you choose. Remember, Sunday evening is the due date.

I'm off to do more kits - and the September stuff is rolling in. Ooohhh! :)

My Croppy Summer Assignment #23

I had been wondering why things had been going relatively smoothly lately. Why I was getting some deep organizing done; though looking at my house right now you wouldn't be able to tell. Then I realized it was the 4th and I had kits that needed sorting. Duh. Never fall for that sense of security; it's usually false.

Today's assignment comes from Elizabeth Kartchner's "52 More Scrapbooking Challenges" book: Lift a design from a home decor item. That cute rug in the Pottery Barn catalog, copy what appeals and incorporate it in your layout. Those kitchen towels with the cute fruit, use them as embellishments. Look around your own home, catalogs and stores for the inspiration. This, along with the other assignments from this week are due on Sunday.

I'm off to see what else I've forgotten. . .

My Croppy Summer Photo Assignment #1

Home. It's where we go for holidays. It's where the heart is. It's our castle, our refuge. It's where more and more of us are vacationing - or stay-cationing.

Other than being a backdrop in any number of photos, is it ever the subject of your photos? This assignment will give it the spotlight it deserves. Each assignment will have you looking through the lens at various places around your home, and in the end you'll create a layout using them.

Today's assignment has you photographing your favorite room in your house. All photos, along with the layout will be due August 15th.

Mine, for now (meaning when I get other rooms cleaned and organized it may change), but for now my favorite room in my bedroom. It sits at the back of the house, which is south facing, so gets plenty of light during the day. Like my dishes, the linens rotate out depending on the season. Now, it's the bright yellow and cool blues of summer. I love my curtains; light, airy and billowy in the breezes. It has seaside touches in the bathroom. Photos of my kids when they were little on my dressers. The bedroom set is honey-stained oak; warm and cozy. It's the room all my babies came home to when they were newborns. It's where countless holiday wrapping sessions were, and continue to be, spent. When the house was being painted it was my escape from the mess of tarps, brushes, cans and scaffolding. It's where the kids come when they're scared at night. It's where we've watched gully-washers of a storm pass through the neighborhood. It's where I could hear the kids rustling around downstairs on Christmas morning - I could hear their excited whispers as they sat and tried to guess what was in their stockings. It's where we pretend to be asleep when we hear their elephant feet running up the stairs when they can't wait any longer for us to come down on holiday mornings. It's seen countless tears and happy smiles. It's a good room.

My Croppy Summer Assignment #22 & Winners

So we're back at Monday - again. Hang tight as I make the Monday rounds of things:

1. Starting August 8th (and running for three weeks), Apron Strings will be a sponsor over on Elle's Studio blog as they host a FREE class, "Journaling In Your Own Words." You can find the posts and the goodies HERE.
2. Melanie is hosting a Back-to-School blog party, with a chance to win, among other goodies, some school supplies donated by Geddes. I have three kids heading back, each with their own unique list - any non-checkbook help in that area is a good thing. Plus you're getting more pages done. See- win-win. Check it all out HERE.
3. Check out Sous Chef Maria's Painter Tray she combined with the Graphic 45 from the Smaller July kit. Too cute! I think I need some of these trays - I keep seeing them, so it must be a sign. Check it out HERE.

Next up - winners! Christmas in July may be over but My Croppy Summer continues - so keep on croppin'!

1. Week 4 winner (Assignments #12 - #14) - Melissa! Congrats, you'll get your goodies in your next shipment. :)
2. I was feeling generous (though you know I'm a pushover for hard work and completed pages), so I picked a random winner from all those who played during weeks 3 and 4 and that is: Patchi! I'm not sure if I have your information so contact me at lori@apronstringsdesigns.com.
3. Finally, Follower #23 - Karen!! Contact me at lori@apronstringsdesgins.com with your information.

(standing up) Hi. I'm Lori and I'm a Bachelor/Bachelorette addict. It's true. It's the hopeless romantic in me. I love a great love story and always hope for the happily ever after. There are a few reality shows I have to watch - Next Best Chef (or whatever); Next Great Designer (or similar); Project Runway and WipeOut - which I don't know is so much reality TV as it is game show. But the Bachelor/Bachelorette stuff - I gotta see it. Tonight's the final rose - Chris or Roberto? Even I can't decide. Roberto's pretty hot and Chris is just one of those really nice guys. It'll be heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time.

So to honor the final rose today's assignment is scrapbook a love story and use red. Whether you scrapbook you and your significant other or the deep love you feel for dark chocolate or a seaside retreat, have fun with it.

Also, watch for a challenge post later today. Something fun. Something camera. Something you should do. :)

Enjoy your Monday.