Random Runneth Over and Tuesday Tunes

Why yes, I am still alive....but I have had a horrible case of "I have nothing to say".....sad but totally true.  It isn't even writer's block I don't think, just nothing that I really thought you guys would be interested in.  There is a whole lot of random swimming around in my brain that I guess I can share in list form at which point you all may wish that I would have just kept it to myself.  Here goes nothing......

*my baby boy started junior high yesterday....which is scary enough as it is (at least for me), but this is his first time in public school - he has been in a bubble for the last seven years and mama is freaked out!

*I am beyond excited to FINALLY meet this sweet lady in person a week from Friday.  Katie is flying to the big ol' Lone Star Sate to see me for the weekend...EEEEKK!!!!

*the weekend after that I am heading to the Sunshine State with these beautiful ladies for Girl's Weekend round 2....Round 1 was Chicago 2012.  I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to some beach time and catching up with dear friends......MUCH needed.  Luckily Jennifer lives in Orlando, so she and her husband are playing hosts for Megan and I.  They have a beautiful house on the lake that I can't wait to see! 

*as I briefly mentioned literally months ago I finally got a DSLR....it was a gift and it kind of just fell into my lap.  Unfortunately the first night that I had it...the case was dropped and the fancy zoom lens that I had (although, I really had no idea how to use it) ceased to zoom.  Cue the tears...seriously!  There was actually a Nikon repair store not too far from home so I took it there.  The owner told me that although my camera was old, it was a great camera...all metal fittings and the new ones of course are plastic.  He was skeptical that the lens could be repaired, but suggested that I think about it and also check ebay.  I would have had to pay $55 just to have the lens looked at with no guarantee and then an additional $75 plus if it could actually be fixed.  I scored a perfect condition, totally functioning one on ebay for $107.25.  Go me!  I am back in business and ready to capture something great on my Florida adventure.  But remember, I still can't use that thing off of AUTO.  I do have two online classes through Shoot Fly Shoot that I am dying to delve into.  I am a visual learner so I am hoping they are really going to help me!  Can't thank KF enough for his generosity...I am beyond blessed! 

* I am still making progress at my new place, but there is still so much that I want to do.  I wanted to have my gallery wall done by the time that Katie came to visit, but I just can't commit yet.  I have a lot of ideas but am so chicken to commit, for fear that I am making the "wrong" decision.  I know - pathetic isn't it?  Still need curtains and the Expedit storage system for my scrapping supplies.  I did make progress on the outside a couple of weeks ago.  A friend from work came over and helped me with seven bags of mulch and she transplanted some plants from her place to my mine.  Some didn't take too kindly to the move and some are thriving.  I am getting compliments from several neighbors about the fact that I am taking care of the yard.  My duplex is a rental and apparently the last few renters did absolutely nothing, so I am feeling good that people are noticing.  I like for my place to look nice (although, I was not blessed with a green thumb)....even if it isn't actually mine but we are are planning on staying at least until Zachary graduates from high school, so I want to make it a home for us.

We went back for 4 more bags of mulch and this was prior to weed pulling

*My dear friends Holli & Todd are getting married at Delaney Vineyards in Grapevine this weekend and I seriously could not be more excited.  They are the most fun couple and things have been pretty crazy for them since their engagement in December......they so deserve to have the most wonderful of wedding days....I cannot forget my kleenex!!!  I have loved doing little crafty projects for them for their wedding.  They are leaving little goodie bags at the hotel for their out of town guests and she wanted them Texas themed.

At least I warned you...I believe that was the worst case of random that I have ever posted at one time.  I guess I did have things to say just nothing on it's own worthy of an entire post...lol.

Finally, just to give this post some street cred (yep, I did jut say that).  I am linking up with Holli, Leslyn and Lauren for:

I LOVE this song.....I am quite sure that men like this no longer exist, if they ever did, but a girl can always dream can't she?????  I am betting that a woman wrote it, so of course I looked it up.  BINGO.....A woman did CO-write it.  Thank you Rodney Clawson and Ashley Gorley!  Enjoy!

Even though I was a day early, I am also linking up with Megan from In This Wonderful Life for Midweek Randoms, because lets face it....this post was ALL about the random.

Third Thursday Scrapbook Stories: August 2013

Like the first half of this year, August is flying by.  Can't believe it is already time for the August edition of Third Thursday Scrapbook Stories.  Katie is sharing a simple but cute layout recapping her New Year's Eve. I am not going to steal her thunder, so here's Katie to tell you about her layout.

Hi everyone! Happy Third Thursday of August!

Over the summer, I have more time to scrap (usually!) and I end up going back and scrapping things that I may have missed out on during the year.

One of those things was New Year's Eve.

Our New Year's was super quiet, and I wanted to reflect that in the layout, so I made a very very simple layout.

Even though this isn't my "usual" style, it wasn't a usual New Year's either! But I'm really happy with how it came out. It reminds me a lot of that night, very calm and not busy at all!

What do you usually do for New Year's? Do you like to go out and party, or do you prefer to stay in and have a quiet night? We've done both, but I really liked having a quiet night last year!

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Three weeks from tomorrow sweet Katie is flying to TX to visit little ole me.  I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally meet her in person.  I am not sure if I had started reading her blog when I was in Chicago - I think that I found it right after.  But when I was there she and her fiance still lived there. Anyway, she and AJ have since moved to Baton Rouge - which thankfully is a bit closer to me.  Her fiance will be enjoying his bachelor party weekend  and she is having a weekend getaway to Texas.....EXCITING!!!!!!!  It will be a short visit, but we are going to try to squeeze in a cattle drive in the Ft. Worth Stockyards, killer margaritas and I am going to find her some good Texas BBQ.  Stay tuned....I am sure this is not the last you will hear about it!

Holli & Todd's Guest Book

As usual I am moving at a snail's pace....but I didn't want to let the entire week get away from me without sharing what I created using my precious cargo from Persnickety Prints. If you missed my rave review, you can check it out here.

As a disclaimer, I can take absolutely no credit for this idea.  It was the brain child of the fabulous Becky Higgins.  She is absolutely a game changer when it comes to simplifying scrapbooking.....I am not sure we are worthy!

I digress....I met Holli about a year ago at a blogger meet up that I was co-hosting.  She kind of lights up a room....she is a genuinely sweet, caring person with an electric smile and an amazing sense of humor.  You really can't help but be drawn to her.  Fast forward to December when Holli became engaged to Todd.  I was beyond thrilled for her and quickly offered to address her wedding invitations as a my gift to her and Todd.  In the midst of the excitement of being engaged and planning a wedding....Holli was dealing with her father's grave medical issues....without going into too much detail, Holli's dad had a double lung transplant, and is thankfully, improving every day.  She can now enjoy being engaged and planning her wedding.  At any rate, during this very stressful time for her combined with trying to get a million thing done for the wedding I offered my assistance with anything that she may need.  I have had so much fun doing and helping on little projects here and there.  Her cousin Lauren (from Outside the Frame) took her engagement pictures and she graciously shared the images with me so that I could make the guest book happen.  I had originally wanted it to be a surprise, but I was afraid that she would go out and buy one, so I let the cat out of the bag.

Her bridal shower was this past Saturday and she truly had a wonderful time and it was obvious to everyone there that a huge weight had been lifted.

This is what I made.....

I started out with the Project Life Mini Album in Rain....added some instructions at the front of the album so Holli and Todd's guests would know what to do.

For the filler cards I used predominantly the Olive Edition.  I used a couple of cards from the Wedding Edition mini kit and I also added some coordinating cardstock.  I printed the card with the names, date and location on high quality paper for the main page.  I love the idea behind these particular guest books.  There is plenty of room for the wedding guests to not only leave their names but also notes, well wishes etc for the couple.  It becomes an instant keepsake, rather than just a fancy book with signatures.

Becky Higgins' original called for about 40 pictures.  I only had 17 and so I had to get creative. Enter Persnickety Prints.  I ordered the vertical prints in 6x8" and the horizontal prints in 9x8.  In order to get these sizes to work in the pages....I had to section the photos in either 2 or 4 pieces.  Some of the measurements required separating right in the middle of a face, but overall, I am really happy with how it turned out.

These two are the 6x8 size

These are the 9x8 size

These books would also be great at a bridal or baby shower, graduation party, anniversary or birthday!  It was so much fun to put together.  In total I think it took me about 2.5 hours to put the whole thing together and I think I took the most time just figuring out the card combinations.  Thank you for stopping by and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!