Have you heard about this new site? Craftig...I was over at Shimelles blog and she had a post up about it and I thought I would share! This is a site where anyone can post stories about great craft sites that are out there on the web. And yes there is a section just for scrapbookers! So check it out...it is new and growing. What a great resource for everything crafty!

This is a catch up post! I was busy this week creating but did not have a lot of time to share. I made a few cards for friends this week.

This is a layout I did for the Digichicks sketch of the week

I put together this wall hanging for a dear friend that needed some encouragement.

And lastly I did this layout today for another challenge over at the digichick.

I have a couple of paper scrapped layouts that are almost done...just need some finishing touches and then I can share those as well!

We are getting back into routines around here and easing in to our school year. And just to add to the mix I signed up for Shimelles Learn Something New Everyday class that starts Sept. 1! I love Shimelles classes and can't wait to get into this one!

I even hit the scrapbook store to get a cool album for this class...It is a Maya road Chipboard album in a really neat size! I will share it soon!

Have a super weekend and happy scrapping!!

Sketch 71 is up over at Triple The Sketch!! This time we got to play with Shimmerz! What a fun product! Head over there and check out all the wonderful layouts that the design team came up with! Lot's of inspiration! Then create something and enter to win some shimmerz of your own!


For my layout I went back in time to do Claires 8th Birthday (she is 12 now!)


I decided to put the shimmerz on my flowers and also on the butterfly. I also gave some shine to the cut out flower branch.



Then came the fun part...I began to experiment. I took the heidi swapp ghost letters and started by putting the shimmerz right on the letter. This did not look as bright as I wanted so I let it dry and then painted over it with MM pink paint. I let this dry and noticed as it dried it had a crackled look. I then used the shimmerz over top of the paint and it really made the letters pop! I really like the crackled look too! So it pays to experiment....you never know what you'll come up with!

So have fun scrapping and good luck if you enter the contest!!

Good morning! Today we are getting back to our routines and we are soooo ready! I say routines and not schedules...I don't do good with schedules. they are rigid and I can never adhere to them! But routines are much more flexible and and give me set goals...not set times!
It's a fact that children do better when they know what to expect! (I do , too!) We have used many different types of schedules and routines over the years....and I have learned not to be afraid to change things up if it's not working!

One thing that really helped me to set order to my day was Managers of their Homes and Managers of their Chores. You can check out these resources and many other great ones like them at The Maxwells site Titus2
(another great book they have is Homeschooling with a meek and quiet spirit...but that is another post)
For my big family this type of scheduling worked great....block scheduling. I have taken and tweaked this over the years and we now schedule blocks of time for certain things...not really giving a certain subject a set time but more a broader sense of what we hope to accomplish.
We also are pretty relaxed schoolers and so believe learning happens all the time and not everything fits in a schedule box. So we arrived at our loosely structured day....(which I will share at the end of the post)

Today we are easing into our routines....I have found that starting back in after a break goes better if we add in one or 2 activites at a time. So this week it is table time with phonics and math for my little ones. And the olders are setting up their notebooks and organizing their materials. I let them set their own pace. This is what homeschooling is about...teaching them how to learn and then stepping back and letting them do it! My 3 older girls are mostly independant now and tht frees me up to be with the littles.

So right now our routine looks something like this...(remember this is mostly for my younger ones)

Block one approx. 8am -9am get up, am chores, breakfast

Block two approx. 9am-10am table time- which may include devotions, phonics, math, copywork

Block three approx. 11am-12pm read alouds - we read aloud for many subjects- history, science, literature

Block four approx. 12pm-1pm lunch, free time, mid day cleanup

Block five approx. 1pm-2pm quiet time- this includes nap time for youngest and quiet reading or play for others

Block six approx. 2pm-on free time, art time, play time, more reading, nature walks, fun stuff!

Now truthfully our day rarely looks like this....but this is what we strive for....it is a loose routine that gives us goals to get done most of the things we want to!
We always start our day with devotions! This year we are using Character Sketches and I am looking forward to it! The day is always better when we start it with God and His word!
A couple of notes...our table time is the time of day when I (Mom) am available and right there to help with what ever they need. I can guide teach and listen during table time. I have 4 boys doing table time right now and it can be a bit crazy!! I am hoping the workboxes will be a way to organize that time better! I will keep you posted on how that goes!
And the quiet time hour is something I learned about many years ago when my kids were all little....we put that in place and have used it ever since! It is a way for Mom to get a break too and a good habit to instill in us all!
Speaking of habits....that is an important part of homeschooling. Get your kids into good habits from the beginning and your day will be much easier!
Well I am off to get the kids and get our day started! Many blessings as you plan and schedule your days!

Good morning! I am sitting at my computer this morning sipping my tea and praising God for so many blessings! The sun is bright and I just posted the latest sketch challenge over at CPCM! If you have not visited yet please do! You will be encouraged and inspired! I loving seeing God being glorified in the creativity that he has given us!

I need to catch up with the links to the last 3 templates for Sketch Tuesday! You can download these simple sketches to jumpstart your pages and get your creativity flowing! I would love to see what you create with these so please come back and link me to your creations!

St18 download here


St19 download here

St20 download here

Head on over to CPCM today to play with the latest sketch St20! I can't wait to see what everyone creates!

Here is what I did with St20 today.....

Good Morning! I need to post the last 2 weeks of my design work for Triple the Sketch! Last week sketch 69 was up and I did a 2 page layout.....



This week we are on sketch 70 and I did this cute digital layout.....trying to stay cool by working on snow pictures! Head on over to TTS and check out what all the designers did....lots of amazing inspiration to be had!!


It looks like a rainy humid day is in the forecast......a good day to stay inside and scrap!

My layout was picked to be the layout of the week over at The Digi Chick!! I am so excited! The inspiration and creativity over there is amazing....so I am just humbled to be picked!! I am looking forward to joining in more challenges over on their forums...it's a really fun place!

We just got back from spending 2 weeks at the Jersey Shore...you can check out my other blog to see some pics.... All is grace here....
I did get to do some digi scrappin while I was away and I did some of the challenges over at The Digichick. I am really enjoying their forum and the shop!

Here are the layouts I got done this past week!




I missed paper scrapping while I was gone.....I think tomorrow I'll hide out in my scrap room!!

We are back from our vacation! We spent 2 glorious sun filled weeks at the Jersey Shore! Can you say BLESSED!!! Yes we feel so blessed to have had this opportunity...you see we were house and dog sitting for a missionary family! This family spends their summers in Romania doing Gods work!

I just want to post a few of the pictures we took....yes I took too many but there was so many good photo ops! Here are just a few...



A sandy boy!!!


more sandy boys!Caleb and me...


Elaina and her new friend Nia......

Claire, Nia and Ginger.....after a walk and a swim in the bay.
testing the waters

Caleb loved the ocean!


we dug lots of holes!
Point Pleasant board Walk....excuse Garrett's pretzel mouth!!
Boogie Boarding!

New Friends.....this is Ginger...such a sweet heart!

The view of of the beach from the Light Houses..and New York beyond in the horizon.

Elaina and I fooled around with some of the settings on the camera and got these amazing sunset pictures....

It's good to be home and we are praising God for a time that was relaxing and fun!!

Sketch 17 is up and here it is with the download link for those that would like the digital template



Download

And here is my layout using the new kit just released from The Daily Digi!! This kit is great and only costs $5....go check it out!!

Rebekah a fellow Triple the Sketch team member is having a giveaway to celebrate her 100th blog post! So heard on over and check out the fun and enter for a chance to win!
Yeebird
Good luck and Happy Scrapping!!

I love creating gifts for others....especially ones that focus on Gods word. Today I am going to share 2 very special gifts that I recently made. The first one I made for a good friends son who was baptized. This is his favorite verse.



The next one I just finished today and we will be giving it to the missionary family whose house we are watching for the next two weeks.

Creating for His glory is always a blessing to me!! I love praying and coming up with the perfect verse to share and gift someone with!
May you be blessed as you create for His glory today!

Triple the Sketch has sketch 67 up and the design team did another amazing job using it! Here is my take on the sketch for this week. Go over and get some inspiration for your scrapping this weekend! Triple the sketch. I used bazzill kraft cardstock which I am loving and using a lot lately! And just some ribbon and daisy bucket paper that I punched with my CM heart punches. The stamp is from Our Daily Bread. Simple and cute!