tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42745495027949859062024-03-21T04:46:10.375-04:00Semper PapercraftingI'm a military wife who is ALWAYS papercrafting (scrapbooking, stamping, etc). This blog is for me to share some of my creations (good and bad) and explore my creative side!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-72080361113582939412009-11-27T16:58:00.002-05:002009-11-27T17:02:20.767-05:00Christmas Quick PageWhile doing a little online Black Friday shopping, I tried out another quick page. I find it very hard to keep holiday (in general) layouts fresh, so I thought this was a little different with the row of pictures on the bottom.<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KdQ0TMpqzRHaJCEYbU8FiA?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGz_PBA1mlT6D9X_gPePPnZduNHYaZkUhLQFk7oE_qV6jJa-LDfVwKlOCXnLG_jphaN3WiuMg5C9NfLiVGCErgIzlvaZHx3XnuylJ2NTUeAI1sT-KsQN_5-ENxdMcO1PXcXPGMfezTBzM/s400/christmas%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />A Season to Give quick page provided by Digital Freebies, created by Atomic Cupcake & Retro Diva Designs</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-72012488181757596792009-11-27T08:00:00.002-05:002010-03-07T21:10:32.482-05:00Christmas Tree quick pageLast year we went to a Christmas tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree. Here's the layout with the title inspired by one of our favorite Christmas movies, <em>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.</em><br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wdYKv-NpE4LQMTlyXvWvEA?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHOGqHJ_fHfDrzaioBcT31NTQmDFLXFDHVPJMAOiK6OQQYYFpWokURZ59wuWbdj2sjFxwu6mg11FashtN_gMiypLvMKo7-zi5seMmQw-q54Czi2cV8eCciT0qibHpsu_ElocEvCbJ8f4/s400/christmas%20tree%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Quick Page by Mad Genius Designs (Jewel Goodwin) with Winter Berries kit by Little Red Scraps</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-8744965669902391412009-11-21T23:20:00.003-05:002009-11-21T23:22:05.325-05:00Turkey TimeI used a new technique on one of the elements on this page... torn paper. It wasn't hard to do and I think it turned out fairly realistic. What do you think?<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZgFoKAWJhRmPTZxfvRCSfw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbKqAC3U8Zk2KnIOLkQlj_TJ6cIO8yh-YagCi_CwAvQolXJ6X-66hLgci8QpTf6ImUIk0r9cNt5M-H5LatJKrQT-6h0EtjErflskxWOcFlVQoHgNw5wsSwjIzkElpdbtBVlcfIF29SMQ/s400/Thanksgiving%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Fall Into Fall Kit by Mad Genius Designs (Jewel Goodwin)</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-15330923397001399332009-11-20T23:15:00.002-05:002009-11-20T23:19:43.749-05:00English Tea Garden Tour layoutWhen I lived in Florida, I visited Walt Disney World... A LOT!! This layout was created for a challenge at <a href="http://www.mousescrappers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9626">Mouse Scrappers</a>. I attended the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot and took a few pictures during a tour of the English tea garden behind the Twinings Tea Caddy.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n1dz2e0Aw4o9UzqZ15fmdw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTcQ_hgGrO-LZJ3JFmyvtvHT2H94QHFM8EkGDlLI1CFrEhfy74e-XLZOD-DJbdBR2Krxwu5tgC3rkdKuSkof3YMSa671t8fHN2rpNAwdlNmKoqvG0TpvttNNXIui9IKjV3-39aHC7CVU/s400/Tea%20Garden%20tour.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Land of Fantasy Add On by Britt-ish Designs<br />Mouse Madness Freebie by Nikki Scott<br />Cardstock from Pilgrimage Home by The Scrappy Kat<br />String from U.S. Coast Guard by Always Be Neighbors Designs</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-72577764286972337802009-11-18T22:57:00.002-05:002009-11-18T22:59:46.518-05:00Welcome HomeFrom this evening's speed scrap at <a href="http://www.stufftoscrap.com/">Stuff To Scrap</a>, here is my layout:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kSCW0YDBHs4GcT8W_car0Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a6zmerTFtFDNsZMiX47W-fQLoyLA03lEa6XGOm_n0gubIY9oo939HNDuCRmdImp9HS_-5Aze4yBG4oQB9X6a-e8hGHw2fGBdV6cpENJArc_hQQvjWGwTPdySwYL1D76k8xoqpPBS8IA/s400/welcome%20home%20vig.jpg" /></a></center><br /><em><br />Credits</em><br />Kit: U.S. Coast Guard by Always Be Neighbors DesignsLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-77910883008248474142009-11-14T23:49:00.003-05:002009-11-14T23:57:18.617-05:00ThanksgivingSince Thanksgiving is coming up... even though from shopping at retail stores you'd think Christmas is next week.... I thought I would try out a Thanksgiving layout.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HNEQsPSpYXr0nphTlUyFKw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsZ8H_yXThGPPcskoJe4BuFf37btOTZ37QRcQwDhZSEXtwDUlzygoggEy1ggOwJVJbIki4a5jsm0mztUdazPNbNiNnWvhxC2jMaEu1xfMs8V6ZNRawN5M2jOcpZI6vEQJn7_n0lKM9Ug/s400/Thanksgiving%202007%20blog%20version.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Scrap Matters Template Tuesday 8/18/09 by Linz<br />Home Suite Home kit by various designers<br />Let's Get Together Add-on by Erica Zane</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-6013346841976838692009-11-14T23:41:00.002-05:002009-11-14T23:45:14.729-05:00Canning 2008My husband and I had our first experience with picking apples last fall. We picked far too many apples and ended up with 60+ pounds. We made applesauce, apple butter and even dried apples. It was a lot of work, but it turned out GREAT! If you check out the pics in the digital page, you can see my cat, Cajun, who needed to play supervisor while I was peeling apples.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/59kYhNnaIvraKQVpc7r80w?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uBVoP2clocCHePHfDVTNM4RO0wXus5ArRevW2WA5EX28nmLwbx_DP0X08uuh_Z05oW6Sy4HuPmftNgAhl-i4AmbVKWqO4W2Ujh32YhYWetwyYTyiFniZuS5-C5JHMeF058Vct7Mrlhs/s400/Canning%20applesauce%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Quick page and letter is from Delicious Day kit by Ellie Lash</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-71150509845969866702009-11-11T12:03:00.003-05:002009-11-11T12:06:48.630-05:00Happy Veteran's Day!In honor of my veteran husband, I created a Coast Guard digital layout.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t1-iSwiBJM11vs3sKiMkRw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgph1yxRRC5VxcrjM5BUl8Mao7BXzMOnCMBa45EyLo0HUF32TVeuaWPYfDbjPnXBxaJ7IZznqhwcDRA7Fx4vdCHe5JLd7-WNkfoDBmA1MOmfyHSTtIt1UDHqZzt4RdB5Wtv0edpg6f01SA/s400/Last%20time%20underway%202008%20blog%20version.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Template - Scrap Matter Template Tuesday 7/7/09 by Trixie Scraps Designs<br />Papers/Elements - U.S. Coast Guard kit by <a href="http://alwaysbeneighborsdesigns.blogspot.com/search/label/US%20Coast%20Guard">Always Be Neighbors Designs</a></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-73753373241041604502009-11-10T23:06:00.002-05:002009-11-10T23:10:58.373-05:00Halloween 2009Another digital scrapbook page to share! I am loving digital scrapbooking. I don't think I've completed this many pages in such a short amount of time -- EVER!!<br /><br />The picture used is from this year's Halloween. We got the idea for the pumpkin from a recent issue of Family Fun magazine.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Wwwp5eeTygCpGT5B8lOW0A?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgmeF39JR2f-Ul4Qc8R0lNOUBjs-5G4PpjW9znTeYsxz4los8GgkvsVRhKFCtMxIJbTwUlH8jR4qdK74__xfd8YPukoeakkgx0EfhMSsedrcr7rjhafROi2JmlsWlOPfmq8pmpOQtaw8/s400/halloween%202009%20blog%20version.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Template from Scrap Matters Template Tuesday 9/15/09 designed by Kathleen<br />Papers and elements from Hallows Eve Add On and Booville Add On both by </span><a href="http://raspberryroaddesigns.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Raspberry Road Designs</span></a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-21612300491754663342009-11-01T20:46:00.003-05:002009-11-01T20:52:16.322-05:00Apple PickingOne of things my husband and I enjoy doing in the fall in Connecticut is picking apples from our favorite local orchard.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E9XesfDupAQfDca6mvyGLw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnOdecaX_Sdyk10iV4vq3n9laFIoLeqYUrxwCUZNTKzJ4Ufns7pMRyAAaQA5DqfwwRFeiB0C24YzngPRVKP8HfrqgUWW78lDu-GHGg2PDpZyPEpd_RETUS-sP6ZpCYIuf0PRGtupauWg/s400/Apple%20picking%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />Credits:<br />Template from Scrap Matters (9/1/09) by jendavey SMCT girl<br />Digital kit is Apple Cider Add-On by Raspberry Road DesignsLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-520573396795824522009-10-31T08:00:00.001-04:002009-10-31T08:00:02.397-04:00My Eddie, the vampire wishes you a HAPPY HALLOWEENMy vampire stamp has made a return visit for Halloween. I affectionately named him Eddie awhile back -- take 1 EASY guess after what fictional character. ;) <br /><br />I used my new Drippy Goo punch by Martha Stewart for the red border. I spotted that punch last year and was so happy when I found it recently. I also embossed some black bats behind Eddie<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HgzirLrIqUIDnf9W-axyvw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK-wGc___RMxuj1p1e-ENCHYdzEvusA3oddYy2kRJOurVNNy5XK7isC6u9VQLHYT8v4xDM-cIM_21aN4LrVzlfns4wtp5XY4KZ8d2pgHF_VLmCPoOAd9LPZ3fYkl5TTfoTrdtMg3lS64/s400/DSCN4718.JPG" /></a></center><br /><br /><center>Wishing you all a very HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!!</center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-90889538463966747852009-10-30T16:06:00.003-04:002009-10-30T16:19:26.436-04:00Halloween digital scrapbook pageI finally had a chance to do some digital scrapbooking. This is my first time using a template. Here is a page I created with a picture from Halloween last year.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6B_-2lS-0Y4ZQDViggIaCw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUrDIMEjim5XLw_8Ca8CVN_FyjsIPOcMszrW4TySpWbZ7hXyWfcoKyAV4MFsnBg5Ogb3PwdMJCI-kvRSdDUSH2siYQ_AemumarjYByfyEVTVg-tUr5RKgJgH4j1wcQqndsg-q-Y9Dmp4/s400/Halloween%202008.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />Credits:<br />Template by Trixie Scraps (Scrap Matters 10/13/09)<br />Elements from Me, Scared? by <a href="http://alwaysbeneighborsdesigns.blogspot.com/">Always Be Neighbors Designs</a><br /><br />**There are typos on the page. Don't worry they have since been fixed**Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-66447109140100600222009-10-12T19:15:00.002-04:002009-10-12T19:16:06.943-04:00Korean inspired cards<center><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/weuwkdwRs1vsqVAzRMNSzw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEEwOD7W2cSg8y5zQRwnhBt794IfJP9oEqpjvF_RyWkSKsRpg7Y8RA3jFC8uF7bIqVt6Cfn78Ht9C3Pd2GB-DXxCDTRUB7uEX84wNxqOwaLCbj9-3Kd8qr-CcjBHagzDMCVhkWjF641Y/s288/DSCN4676.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vZemBczevDdpW7VA0xjNsQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcwiuMy8nkFTS3MUqY0-CD_-SHxfy4hEgZVs2kiQYMY0SFhQLyn-865jI0I84MJXCOOOfMot2OOcnMEyflAFuZiK5dAqTxWkZgTclej4f_aAv_nV-yj3ng9rpei6BrtzTfxYebuBJV10/s288/DSCN4669.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DwFV2F3rmwWWELuWtaBXmw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMw0s55_dxeA7edtH1oaZKClwl2GpurOeZ0rlvCDzO65X42LshrCaj8zgYBSW58nYo_xHg3acyGIoXMW0uYTMASz780ff3hKfWMYnnZdqQ2ewesWbgaUMMcR_7zrjn49SPY1urmHoSoE/s288/DSCN4672.JPG" /></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-70617567395955143132009-10-12T19:11:00.002-04:002009-10-12T19:15:03.081-04:00A few recent cards....<center><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X979UakcB3xBiA0UeU5aUw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAZD4QzxyNLsxS0pUWJe-BLfexxw8DUgmZY2fIYRM_yR4YU56DhVL9EpugdvytwWfei3ShSrp0DsvDvzYufBK2q8g7Xi9c_C9Rptp8cXtf3GYvaWq0IRby-QA75xGE0wn-9xzdqg2uSE/s288/DSCN4435.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PNtgHsXH5f-qZMaN6mWXBg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho50d1lMp9SCxYunbIjr5lRh7pO9eZfo4zDA2C4rIIdbnh4GGlJOYdjYzoUoZh1O4ArCmrIH5KLy8fCL7utZqpOiO-NRl9qX6WD8zAOWDU15XEmhcWblrCUPcMUN69dRNF8V_P9FdvsrI/s288/DSCN4619.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QE_y9DaqPI2JfR1DMRK-KA?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOhGjqOYCt532T4Ztlv6WjepGZyulfnEw1h3N5iROhh0DEpb0kQY2jQNigxQEzPQRxzqxCQxYY0tMlkGzRtfnPaNdmJ25SgnO4QvK_UQnoZWzzHnbrMEEMwNoyqW5QeNEF6CP24T-n5Y/s288/DSCN4631.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CqdtNVc0Fw5LHtWGru2m-A?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAECQzCzhycACGzzfmXePeSpexTLK7pQp6BZwNcW6pAHd4Q5eL1jW5UZTvyXIAhZZcoupULAQE5fpH6rDaZTJHg3B1cG7_lkPRLroWufXOmflSKAqSKMlkaKCEDy6DjnFYx9RJAH8BoC4/s288/DSCN4634.JPG" /></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-7306454591656185242009-07-29T16:18:00.002-04:002009-07-29T16:19:31.013-04:00Wordless Wednesday<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kuirV7GsLhIBQyD8H1q1Ng?authkey=Gv1sRgCKW-q6ifnZvELg&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9OYolKqK9BzYcejBIerOyoqR90ZYCFwjAQ-NnMC-DWQpn2c38oC1vxm0JcYWTMkkdokkcOVNhYZBIiWXBzILVBYw6F6s-Z9HLDQE4lth_1GYn-ozej7A3cIj8lSYHt2PRlgONd9x-ak/s288/DSCN4464.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Lucky Cat for patience </center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-77700276717614825932009-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:002009-07-23T08:00:01.325-04:00Princess AnyaI love love LOVE my Anya stamps. I have more projects coming down the pike with these stamps soon. This time I used my Princess Anya stamp by <a href="http://thegreetingfarm.com/">The Greeting Farm</a> to create a birthday card for a friend. I love how it turned out.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nhvln9hUTwEfb_tOmTtBeg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9TXyY_m1iyHdKoi8v8HO04jJV2zl4MI8Gz55-Ao_sc8WB5W9ZMjuucsOvh8QIhLDKdmeaP-Tk2NiAex9CHh0VV9ByDpHG3hfAHn9dZ7EvttZhY8CBnLDYHr8XuWyK0Viw0dN3qhVwv4/s288/DSCN4413.JPG" /></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-31846008527964892842009-07-22T16:00:00.002-04:002009-07-22T16:04:33.182-04:00Disney TipsI want to share some tips/observations that my husband and I made on a recent trip to Walt Disney World.<br /><br /><strong>General Tips</strong>:<br />- Take advantage of the Fast Passes. It will bring your wait in line down to 20 minutes (on a busy day) or less.<br />- Fast Passes are only given out once an hour per park ticket. For example, if you get a fast pass for Tower of Terror, you will have to wait an hour to get the fast pass for Rock N Rollercoaster<br />- Send someone else ahead to the ride you want Fast Passes for with all of the park tickets (they are needed to get Fast Passes). This way you can go do something else while one of the adults gets the Fast Passes, so you're not standing in yet another line to get the pass with a bunch of cranky kids.<br />- If you MUST take a double stroller to the park, be courteous. We were nearly run over or pushed aside by many a double and even single stroller.<br />- If you're at a park and there is a ride-time board... CHECK it! It will save tons of time by not walking to each ride to see what the wait is.<br />- Eat small meals (like appetizer size) throughout the day especially on hot days. It helps you not to feel so worn down and give you a break to sit and relax.<br />- Water, water, water.... bring it with you to the park (it's okay), purchase it... whatever. Otherwise you will be miserable.<br />- More on water.... we bought bottled water at Walmart before we headed to our resort. It was worth it since bottled water at the park is $2.50 each. It's okay to bring it in the park, we brought a 12 pack with us one day and weren't questioned.<br />- Sunscreen up before you leave for the park.<br /><br /><strong>Magic Kingdom</strong>:<br />- Transportation to and from the Magic Kingdom can get a little crazy with the choices of monorail, ferry and buses. Be prepared to wait regardless.<br />- Avoid doing the Magic Kingdom on a Monday. We noticed it was ridiculously busy by late morning.<br />- Have breakfast at the Main Street Bakery at the park. It's a great deal. I purchased a cinnamon roll the size of a softball for $2.59. Plus if you get a table outside, you can relax for a few before hitting the park.<br />- If you are a resort guest, take advantage of the extra magic hours at this park. We walked right on to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and had only a 20 minute wait for both Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad.<br /><br /><strong>Epcot</strong>:<br />- Hit Epcot on a Monday. Most people are at the Magic Kingdom that day and so this park is less crowded. It did get considerably more crowded on Tuesday.<br />- Do the Spaceship Earth ride later in the day rather than first. It is usually very busy in the mornings, early afternoon. If you time it right, you can usually just walk right on. This ride is one that anyone can do and it's actually quite fun.<br />- Visit China. They have a great quick service menu and the tables in that area are SPOTLESS.<br />- There is a new Kim Possible World Showcase Mission "game". You get a ticket to meet at a designated spot, receive your communicator and then complete a mission within one of the World Showcase countries. We did this twice and had an absolute blast.<br />- If you can get reservations, go to the Rose & Crown Pub for dinner after 7pm since they have a 2 hour time limit for seating. If you speak with the host/hostess, see if they can get you seating for the fireworks out on the deck. It's WORTH it!!!<br />- For a quiet, shady retreat, go to the gardens behind the Tea Caddy in UK. When the Beatles tribute band isn't playing it's a nice little place with benches and shade.<br />- The Innovations section of Epcot is a great place to go get some A/C and also education for the kiddies. It's also a good place to go for the freak thunderstorm that Florida gets in the summer afternoons.<br /><br /><strong>Hollywood Studios</strong>:<br />- Just a little FYI... if you go for the Star Wars weekend expect insane crowds and SW geeks galore<br />- If your little Jedi need a light saber, consider buying a prefab one. They have a make-your-own light saber section, but it's much more expensive than a premade one.<br /><br /><strong>Animal Kingdom</strong>:<br />- Go to Animal Kingdom if it's a Star Wars weekend. We headed over to this park after the madness at Hollywood Studios. We had a short wait for Expedition Everest and walked right on to Kilimanjaro Safaris.<br /><br /><strong>Disney Resort Guests</strong>:<br />- Get the refillable mug at the resort. It costs around $12.95, but you end up saving money on buying pop (or soda, whatever you call it), coffee, etc.<br />- You pay for what you get for when it comes to resort to park transportation. We stayed in one of the "value" resorts and since we were paying less, a lot of the time the buses didn't seem as frequent or made multiple stops. If you want direct access via monorail to Magic Kingdom or Epcot, stay at the Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian resorts.<br />- If you stay a resort, take advantage of the package pick-up in the park gift shops. They will send your package to your resort's gift shop and you can pick it up usually the following day after 1pm.<br />- The Disney Dining Plan seems like a good idea, but in reality causes a lot of confusion. We did not have the dining plan but ended up behind someone in line who did and had no clue what they were doing. It seemed like more of a hassle than what the savings are.<br />- There are no mini fridges in the All-Star Resorts. Stop at Walmart (if you're renting a car) in Kissimmee and purchase a $2 foam cooler. There are ice machines in each section of the hotel.<br />- If you need a microwave, there is one in the dining area for the All-Star resorts.<br /><br />And this post wouldn't be complete without a recent Disney project I completed with my new Mickey ears punch:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Gm87jWvI_-fxwD3A2Jl7ig?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPov_cEb6eUyNPvDUKuWoGr8jMgbqUAV_dilI4u9jyx2n6_W2eMl26FZqwtpn8BvbtMYwS47mJqyOT4_k0opZD9JwvVdKDx45rAWVR0MWrbUk6sVLyU_eYzUsvBv3WwTUd69Rn_lq_AQQ/s288/DSCN4415.JPG" /></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-25065766588835072442009-07-22T15:53:00.003-04:002009-07-22T16:07:41.822-04:00Not-so Wordless WednesdaySo, I finally completed a MAJOR project that sort of fits into the crafting realm. I refinished a rocking chair that originally belonged to my grandparents. This rocking chair will be used in our future child's room. <br /><br />The chair started out as a reddish paint stain color -- it was ugly. It wasn't a cherry stain color, think burgundy paint. So, I stripped it and stained it an oak color to match the rest of our furniture.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WGQU5BXgU56q88Ll_LOHeg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFV6bK8sFX5son8SdU-5B5q83awu80MIj-wKC83rgJY6VA8WR0i8NTKsiYQ06moKw8Zjp8YwUfmgeCslYjF4GOj6BbOVosYNU583xrc7LWSoTgG9_WhcNlhS2zsWfdv4X_s4kRAGnBZfU/s400/DSCN4447.JPG" /></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-66496563789857149012009-07-15T11:55:00.001-04:002009-07-15T11:57:02.115-04:00Wordless Wednesday<center><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_v_oFgS-R-2qmpduoscA3Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5065vSIREnk2o11OQZxwKx3PL4ve892uan3MvEeD4kujNRwkVYs8zDckDyJhZxElo0CeNdgHXO40wzF9V5MVXtoG3BEHfY8AFSJoryDRrEBiJtUdt6ZTvxDl5KXDP6nzXdKFicnMWk6g/s400/DSCN4285.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></table></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-63824538707972311122009-07-13T15:35:00.003-04:002009-07-13T15:51:20.237-04:00Check out my lassie!!I don't normally participate in <a href="http://clubanya.blogspot.com/2009/07/july-release-vsn-challenges.html">Club Anya</a> challenges, BUT this one caught my attention. They have 3 challenges going right now and one of them is "where I come from...". The challenge is to to create a card, scrapbook page, etc using an Anya or Ian stamp from <a href="http://www.thegreetingfarm.com/">The Greeting Farm</a> that shares your heritage, nationality, culture, etc. I could not resist this challenge.<br /><br />So, to pay tribute to my Scottish heritage, I used TGF digital stamp of Dorothy Anya to create a Scottish Anya. I did my best to include elements from the Cunningham clan in the card.<br /><br />The clan tartan and clan badge:<br /><br /><center><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5YrEarBi-AyEF9g0Px8Fnw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDztSpIHp7KJ4GanX1wdlxiSmUn9iaq_gMAnfGb6L14VredobZ_6zdHJoNrgbevBuruIZDTqa7gBJQBbWhpoA0nvq2CyC0HyxERXLZ6oE0bGaPoJVXT06RkB7xnWwRkPJ95qmxq9l9Nc/s144/Cunningham_tartan_%2528Vestiarium_Scoticum%2529.png.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HHVMEbzqb-erdK-IvGbFdw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswWT1MYXLpXA9n8YzS2MFC24RhU6mjLcb3caEsKliSDySr0vpDm3CphjnECxtkCIf-4wzDlz88KXIi08-ToFNEuV_QmJ7fSsLco0ZguD2OjNzJzA2m2tJ4wzQPjMIBwmr6EknzgujoZ0/s144/badge_bishop.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HHVMEbzqb-erdK-IvGbFdw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"></a></td></tr><tr></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br />My Lassie:<br /><center><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qZ0rGzATs9nbYQcSYXlXlQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxqjq4mU_ssn1PuPRHJSiYW0ENFZZt7BXXLgrgCAZW9aWyQsrx_xoCJxenPzj_IWG-wuf6V4ouad0s_ROkNLSDvqaPQGHTBCRQQC_mBh1bB2KuCFbMhQ9eKq88SKdkxOg0WQbVPkabR8/s400/DSCN4433.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></tbody></table></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-5634946358841811342009-07-08T11:10:00.005-04:002009-07-08T11:20:27.048-04:00Wordless WednesdayFrom yesterday:<br /><br /><center><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5LS0AK8G6F5nnC3v8irJAg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNVisTSGuMpVNynjrsvqS63eCOMfXSWL-kvnFAUCx1mU83wgXh38hxkKxp0o8mTIXP854rdxibYfCy5dOrPjTK9LS_2Jnhas2lacaG81tJ7W4KP1hpDc6D6SbCpjo9Q023GTL6t21tNQ/s400/DSCN4409.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></table></center><br /><br />Can you see the double rainbow? I'm not the best photographer, but tried to capture it the best I could.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-66258122563918292562009-07-04T08:00:00.001-04:002009-07-04T08:00:29.561-04:00Happy 4th of July!!I want to wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July!! The Fourth has always been one of my favorite holidays. I am super patriotic and love anything red, white and blue.<br /><br />I recently created a card to celebrate Independence Day that I sent to my family and friends. It has sort of a quilted look to it (I've used this same technique earlier with a <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SbStN2zETym4nAZ-DoKc8g?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=directlink">baby girl card</a>).<br /><br />Enjoy! And let the fireworks commence!!! :)<br /><br /><center><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LIBheje92pOfR1Pqvw35Cg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh233LULrNkb5HaqGDFhMN0DIgv2r_HLeVY4TNpVNFQf-COTinI1CLCfu-4iNn-kyQ3wsqXy4Iv23k_Lkhp-59BcjRrPNSgos3uNB2u2Qe73yQG6Qq6fUNS_VlD_jTARWFtK85Ckwe6-LU/s288/DSCN4312.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 11px">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></tbody></table></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-49820036284375152732009-07-02T23:38:00.004-04:002009-07-03T23:21:52.519-04:00My 1st Speed ScrapTonight I headed over to <a href="http://www.scrapmatters.com/">Scrap Matters</a> to do my very first speed scrap challenge. It starts at 9pm EST and you begin with a blank digital layout page, then every 10 minutes the hostess gives you instructions on what next to add to your layout. Since I'm still a newbie, it was a bit overwhelming, but I did O.K.<br /><br />I decided to scrap the picture of me and my grandpa at Epcot. Here's the layout:<br /><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9ZlI_qZDmlJdQ2n3tgCMRg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5QN4yg6voCoUIzxATrDT2QVIWGKr27dDXuPnTZb6s67GEeX5kL7UW_7KkDlKC-nrAE4ZxgT1JcBcvjPmdmOEL4e3OAALBTvgNN4XRTC3LtFuTfIm7rvb6yw6dIkCp_CCuKNsfh7zPIo/s400/SS1220-web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 11px">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Digital supplies are from:<br />Scraps by Andrea<br /><br />I'm still getting the hang of this digital thing... but I'm having fun in the learning process.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-69863262154464189692009-06-24T12:50:00.004-04:002009-06-24T12:54:53.751-04:00Wordless WednesdayI'm not sure where the Wordless Wednesday idea started, but I've seen it on many blogs. So, this time around to be "less wordy", I'll share a few photos that I've taken recently that are hopefully more expressive than what I can ramble on about. ;)<br /><br /><center><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RJg8zw_mWMIqHB8htXITaA?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIDHMhINP-oeSS2eRT24TOFDfzD5_LzueXL98f2grEVyaG_eeHST2DlFKLV6j0YoesbYYuRNykxOrdnZb-BeNM9voY0al1DQmLRV8WUXx6HwdLBIzHIflzkvawyQXTiVjxm-jFTDcox4/s400/DSCN4250.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EObBX7Sv_IXhcdmDUqJcqw?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0YNaTbvSoyillltP0JaqQOJz1q8Yxu_r0OJoJvezeK7Bwv8nPDc9K6Vl9fo9aT4fFSAQDlhIcB7pbVO8lm_bUxWvSMcIORbBVb0xyGxrTGJLI3opZU1TqC8a66cJ-ZrmD6gx2x3wbpI/s400/DSCN4253.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></table></center><br /><br />And yes, both of these roses are from my garden. The top is a Peace rose and the red one... um... I can't remember!!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4274549502794985906.post-14285909536500132012009-06-23T22:30:00.003-04:002009-06-23T22:43:51.448-04:00Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #36It's <a href="http://twilighttuesday.com/">Twilight Tuesday</a>.....<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>The theme for this week’s challenge (TTIC36) is What Says Twilight To You?<br /><br />So many things say “Twilight” to the multitudes of Twilight fans. What images do you think of when you think about the Twilight books and movies?<br /><br />For some, Twilight means an apple, for some, the chess piece on the cover of Breaking Dawn, and for others, Bella’s truck conjures up the Twilight mood. Many fans love to express their Twilight love by choosing a “team” to root for, and others have favorite quotes from the book that are near and dear to them.<br /><br />For the craft portion of the challenge: create a piece that expresses what comes to mind when YOU think of the Twilight saga.<br /><br />For the comment portion of the challenge: Many people often say that reading the Twilight saga has been life-changing. Please share how the saga has changed your own life or made you view life in a different way.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />To work on my Photoshop Elements skills, I created a layout all about Twilight and included the comment portion in my journaling. I love everything about the Twilight series and most of all I love that this book has allowed me to find a great group of crafters who share my enjoyment of the series. Seriously... this group of ladies completely "dazzles" me. ;)<br /><br />Here's my layout:<br /><br /><center><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lyRc29GaxwFXZmsI5ayS-A?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X2p7G7ZH8S4m5vvilp61fDx5HbeyN9eI4ekqodThw2sXtsMriqY4fhTp6HBdpPjQI2uAt7m1SPk-S0996COV2_-gFVx-oF9FdrTCbIdYhrFHCsQRv1YbfaTRyP_EZokQ1Gf2BRGvVQ8/s400/Twilight-web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 11px">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Daisy49302/SemperPapercrafting?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX_xveJlMTzLQ&feat=embedwebsite">Semper Papercrafting</a></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Digital supplies from:<br />Kathy Goldstein, Ellie Lash and photos are from various internet sources<br /></span><br />Since the journaling is hard to read, it says:<br /><blockquote>I don’t think I ever expected to become dazzled by a vampire saga. Twilight is so much more than a pop culture phenomenon, it is an escape into a world where love, romance and chivalry still exist. The main characters, while even being vampires, have so much passion for life and all that is good. The relationship between Bella and Edward speaks to so many generations of readers and that is, <br />true love is eternal.</blockquote><br /><br />If you have time, you need to check out the blog candy for <a href="http://twilighttuesday.com/2009/06/twilight-tuesday-inspiration-challenge-36-special-collaboration-with-artful-inkables/">Twilight Tuesday</a>. AMAZING!! They have partnered up with <a href="http://artfulinkables.com/">Artful Inkables</a> to celebrate the release of their new Twilight inspired stamp sets.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793878512921975289noreply@blogger.com3