exploding box

No pictures today. Stickles are drying and I don't want to mess them up by moving them too much. Plus the kids are screaming at me to feed them. As well as it's almost time for bed. woohoo!!

But have to share that my box is pretty much done. I will have to see about decorating the outside panels of the outer layer once I place my top onto it. Don't want to decorate parts that will be covered!! So we'll see on that part.

And I found something to put on the inside of my box!! Nope... not sharing yet. Hoping to get working on it tomorrow. It looks like a simple project but we all know how those turn out!!

Thanks again Alien for such a great project idea for me. It has motivated me to start working on this basket of goodies. (((hugs)))

more exploding box

This is the inside layer of my box. And the inside of that layer. Meaning the gift or whatever I am going to put in there (haven't decided yet) will be in that center section. Which may or may not get covered with pattern paper. Or maybe cardstock. Still debating that one. Anywho... these are the panels I have done so far. The tags in both of the slide mounts can come out so the recipient can put pictures in or turn it over and write a little note (very little)

This box is going to be part of a scrapping basket I am working on for my school's PTA basket raffle. I'm trying to make it a general theme so it could be used for a few different purposes. And look my threading water border punch is working like a charm!! Love that punch!

Here are the layouts I was working on before I started the exploding box project. Trip to Sea World 2008. We went on a backstage tour with Kira to see the penguins and have a chance to actually pet one! Kira totally enjoyed it.

This layout was of the penguin we met. Her name was Tierra. Used some Heidi Swapp ghost letters that I attached with embroidery floss. Jolee's stickers. Pagemap from April 2009.

More pictures of when we were waiting to pet our penguin. My circle skills are lacking when using paint!! But I like it. And love the new border punch I got. The scallop and long hole one. EKSuccess. The penguin family was a laser die cut I picked up at Mouse Memories when we were in Orlando that year.

This was at the start of the tour and our tickets. oooh new border punch used there on the right hand side of the right page and I put some ribbon in it. And on the journaling another new border punch. Love that look!!

Peeking at Shamu below the tank! So cool! Whale cut out of a piece of paper I picked up at Mouse Memories.

The daddy daughter dance was great last night. Daddy had to drag her out at the end she was having so much fun with her friends. She even managed to dance with daddy a few times!! Will have to work in a few pictures of the fun they had. Maybe tomorrow. Or later tonight. We'll see!

daddy daughter dance 2011

The best time during the winter!! My mom, Kira's Nana has made her dress every year since she was 4. This year's creation is amazing and such a pretty color for my princess!! Kira picked the material and the dress pattern. I think she did a good job! Mom did pretty good too!! LOL

Here she is without the jacket. Kira's arms get cold in a short sleeve dress (found that out the hard way one year) But it is so pretty I have to take a picture of it without the jacket.

Here she is with her daddy!! Amazingly enough, he had a shirt that matched her dress perfectly. Doesn't show that too well in the picture but it is the same color in real life!!

Every princess needs a fur cape and muff to keep her warm in New England in February!! Another Nana creation!!

Me and my girl!! She is getting so tall on me!! I'd like to say I was sitting down or something but she is catching up to me!!

Back of her hair. No it's not professionally done, but for not being trained, I got it up and curled for her. And it is coated in glitter mist!! She sparkles from head to toe!

I finally decided this year to send the camera with hubby so he can take pictures of Kira with all her friends at the dance!! Not sure why I hadn't thought of it before. Better late than never!!

I have now started working on my PTA scrapping goodies basket for our Turn Off TV week basket raffle. I am working on an exploding box and making some headway. I have gotten all the layers done. See previous days for the two outer layers. I am working on the inside layer, inside panels. I need to do two more panels before I can show them off. But I am working!! Thanks for the pep talk Alien. You are too kind. (((hugs))) across the country! Love you girl!

Hoping to post some pictures tomorrow of the penguin layouts I finally got done and the inside layer!! Crossing fingers!!

because my Alien wants to know...

This post is for her. Squishy kind of Alien hugs going to her and her amazing family.

Okay... my to do list (impending project, over my head project, what was I thinking project) is to create a basket of paper goodies for the PTA basket raffle that we have every year for our Turn Off TV week. The baskets are wonderful and so clever. They also bring in some serious money to help the PTA.

My thought this year was to make up a ton of greeting cards, some gift card holders and a few of the 2-5-7-10 boxes. I was thinking I should also make up a paper bag album or a CD album with a spring/ Easter theme and possibly some post it note covers and maybe an altered jar for a pen/ pencil holder. Every time I start to think about it, the list of items gets larger and I have started NOTHING!! Not a single thing. Which is stressing me out. I need to stop working on my Sea World album and focus on this project.

Yes that is what I will do. I am going to finish up this one layout that is staring at me. It needs a title and some journaling. Then I shall start that project. I don't want to rush through the items but March 7th is coming quickly! No really it is. Honest.

Thanks for the pep talk Alien! I knew I could count on you to nudge me in the right direction. I guess I am sorta working on some things as my exploding box may be included in this basket. If it turns out halfway decent. Right now it is buried under a ton of things on my desk. I need to dig it out and work on it.

Right after this layout of the penguins!!

happy day!

Yesterday was hubby's birthday. So I had the joy of making him a cake to celebrate with. Along with dinner!! The frosting was supposed to be red... turned out more pink and now it looks very orange in the picture! Since it was pink, I turned it into a Valentine themed cake complete with sprinkles. It worked and was good!!

Three candles... one for each of them to blow out! Worked well.

My Alien friend has started a challenge on her blog to play along with her while she creates an exploding box. I jumped right in and am having a blast. Posting what I have created so far to show her that I am playing and not fibbing. I do believe fibbing to an Alien involves probing which I do not wish to be subjected to!! There should be one more layer and then some amazing fun of embellishing this box. Very excited to see it completed!

I went to Michaels today to pick up a bone folder as I had broken my other one and am in need of it to do some cards... as well as the exploding box!! I had a 45% off coupon which was a lovely thing to have.

Then I went to Joanns with my defective Fiskars threading water border punch and it was easy peasy to get a new one! Showed them how defective it was, so I grabbed one off the shelf and I was on my way! oh happy happy day!! I have working tools again!

Off to watch some football coverage. Or check my eyelids for holes... not sure which one yet!!

waaaahhhh... my poor border punch

After getting very frustrated with my Fiskars Treading Water border punch, I decided to attack it with some aluminum foil to see if that would help with the cutting edge. It worked a bit but still was catching in the middle. That should not be happening.

So I grabbed another Fiskars border punch I have and checked it out from all angles and then went back to the problem punch. Yup... the metal piece is lower on one end than the other which makes for not a clean cut and lets it stick in the middle. Sometimes it doesn't even cut in the middle! No wonder I have not used this punch as much as I would like. Most of the time, I ended up cutting the border out by hand after punching it.

To all my scrapping buds out there... do you think Fiskars would do anything for me? I have had this punch for awhile and not used it much since it kept fighting with me, so I do not have a receipt. I know I got it at Joanns but like I said, I have no clue when. Over a year at least. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!

snow day.... again

Man... I am done with winter. Sure hope that silly groundhog is right that spring is around the corner. But with all of this snow, I am afraid that we'll end up with the town flooding again. I hate winter!

Here's our picture of the day for today. Just a shot of the snow bank that seems to have grown overnight!

Close up of the kiddos at the top!!

How else would you get down?? Yup... on their hind ends. They did this a few (many) more times.

Heading to the swingset in the backyard. The snow was at Alex's waist. He had to follow Kira or risk being lost!

Me!! Have I mentioned how much I hate winter??

She seems to be enjoying the weather more than me!!

Yup... those are my clothes lines behind Alex!!

Ready to head down the 'slide' again. And look at that... she's as tall as the tree!!

Front of the house. Man... that's a lot of snow! And no... we don't use the front door!

I'd like to say I got a ton of scrapping done today. But nope... didn't. I tried to but kept getting distracted by the kiddos. Need to go finish making dinner so it ain't happening right now either. I think I can do more when the kids are at school!! But I am proud to say everyone had a warm breakfast and will eat great tonight for dinner. It was a free for all for lunch and snacks today.

On a side note... my bone folder broke! Man I am sad. It was the one in the Cricut tool kit. Nope I don't own a Cricut but love the tools so I picked one up years ago. Now I have to get a new bone folder. I miss it so much! Especially since I need to make a bunch of cards. geez. Maybe a trip to Michaels is in order for me later this week. :)