We're Having a Birthday Party

Yes, you read that right. We are having a huge first birthday party to celebrate one year of Digital Scrap Garden.

Nearly everything in the store is on sale for 40 percent off and some of the designers, myself included, have chosen a featured kit that will be a whopping 75% off. (More about that in a moment)

First off, tonight, Thursday the 25th we will have a birthday bash kickoff chat in the DST chatroom at 9pm est. Friday the 26th and Satureday the 27th at 10pm est there will be Speedy Scraps chats in our very own chatroom. We have forum challenges planned and even a huge scavenger hunt all planned for our birthday week. Don't miss out.

My featured kit for the sale is my Flowers and Fairies:

Which is normally $5.50. At 75% off, it is on sale for $1.38 for one week only.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I also have a freebie for everyone today. This is a quickpage created with Flowers and Fairies. Hopefully this will give you a taste of my work.

Which you can get here: http://www.4shared.com/file/64423271/abfc6346/doodle_flowersandfairies_quickpagefreebie.html?dirPwdVerified=58977bba

Enjoy and be sure to join the fun with our Goofy Dorks at our little garden in cyberspace.

Scrapbook Pages with Hybrid Albums

Okay, you know all of those cool bracket and shape albums that you see in all of the stores? I love 'em it is so cool to be able to make shaped albums for gifts and the like. However, I've also discovered an awesome way of incorporating them into my layouts for the kids scrapbooks as well.

I've been having an absolute blast playing with Glenda Ketcham's Aunt Ella's Pool kit, bracket album and flip flop album that you can find at digitals.

Papers and ribbons: http://digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=11665

Elements: http://digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=11666

Bracket album: http://digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=11836

Flip Flop album: http://digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=11612

In both of these layouts of the kids; first Kathryn's first swim and then Paul's first swim I incorporated the albums into my page. Not only did using the albums make the layouts easier, they also made for unique pages for each of the kids.

I have so much more that I'd like to share right now, but the kids are begging me for dinner.

Back Again

How is it that I always make a resolution to myself to be a better blogger and then I horribly fail?

I don't know. I mean I do know that life is extremely crazy around here right now between the impending move, Kathryn starting school, and my having to babysit my niece quite frequently as my brother and SIL wait for the arrival of their new baby. Sometimes I don't even have time to take a breath, let alone share my life with everyone and make gifts and for sale kits.

At any rate, I am the daily petals designer this month at Digital Scrap Garden. The kit that I'm giving away is called Bright and Vivid, and I really think it is my favorite kit to date.

Here are a couple previews:

and:

The first three links are gone already, but since I'm feeling generous, if you leave me a comment here in my blog, with your email address, I'll send you a link to all three pieces via email.

Also, I've been wanting to talk about quickpage albums. Do you like them, do you hate them? If you like them what kind do you find yourself using the most? 12 x 12s, bragbooks, or one of the nifty hybrid albums? I want to make some albums with my kits but I really don't know which type is the best.

It's Finally Time, Welcome to Zoo Spirit

So here it is, the something big that I promised with tons and tons of freebies to be grabbed.

I welcome one and all to Zoo Spirit, and ADSD collaboration kit. Make sure you have your clicking fingers ready and you are ready to ride on the train, cause it's a long ride. At my last count there were 49 designers participating. Some of these wonderful ladies you may know, others may be new to you, but I can promise you one thing, this is one awesome kit.

Without further ado, here is my portion of Zoo Spirit:

From my portion of the kit you get:

5 papers

7 bottlecaps inlayed with animal photos

2 flowers

1 polaroid cluster

Download HERE

And of course don't forget to snag the rest of this wonderful collab.

abyscraps
Amanda Truitt
Angel
A Zone for Digiscraps
Brooke & Joni
Burkhart Scrapzone (Michaele)
Buzybee Designs (Penny Lewis)
By God's Design
City Scribe Scraps
Crafter's Boutique (Mardesia)
Creations By Rachael
Creative Digital Scraps by Chiara
Creative Dreams
Deb
Debbie
Designs by Crazy Diamond
Designs by Lisa Minor
Erika (PinkuPixie)
Gone Scrappin' Designs
Heartprints Digital Designs
Kalo Designs
Kelly's Sanity Saver
Kim's Scrappin'
Lady V dZine
LBCreations: Designs by Babette
Lighthouse Designs by Beth
Lighthouse Scrapping and Harbor Designs
Lori Imel
MagsGraphics
Michelle Blagg Designs
Monica at Random Inspirations
Munchkin Scraps by Jody
Nadine: Scrappinmamma
Nancy Schmidt
Panda Bear Designs
Serina,s Designz
Scrappin with Doodle <------ YOU ARE HERE
Scrappin' with Ladye
Scrappin' with Jersey Girl
Scrappy Cats
ScrappyShannon
Scraps by Shilo
ScripityScrap Designs
Share Joy
Stacey Crossley
Stellarific Creations
Stephanie
The Scrap Loft: Kathy Goldstein Designs
utski can scrap

Something Big, Coming Soon.

So, I've been working on some things for everyone. Lots of things hopefully will be coming from me soon.

These past few weeks have been very hectic in our house. First, I was in a yardsale last weekend, and we are doing it again next weekend here at my mom's house. I really just need to get rid of all these clothes that the kids have outgrown. Not to mention, Mom also has things from my Grandma's house that she needs to get rid of too.

And, we've gotten the carpet in and started moving our furniture over to the new house. I've got Kathryn enrolled in school and she started Jump Start into the School Year today. That is this little program that her school is doing for three days this week to get the kids used to the school building. Then, on Friday they have kindergarten placement. Next week they have an open house so the parents can meet the teachers and that kind of thing. I just really can't believe that my girl is starting school.

Oh, and the something big. On Friday the first, I am going to be participating in my first blog train. The ADS designers (aspiring digi scrap designers) hostess and awesome blog train each month, and since this was my first entire month to be a part of the group, I decided to participate. This thing is going to be huge. There are at least 40 different designers participating. Some you might know and others that will be new to you. What a great way to get to sample the work of tons of designers. I can't wait to share my part with everyone, but it is going to have to wait a few more days.

Carpet Woes

I'm so anxious to move into our new house. Some days it seems like everything is coming along very well. Other days, not so much.

Of course, I guess that is the way that it always is. We ordered our carpet at the end of April. It came into the warehouse at the end of May. They were finally able to schedule us for installation at the end of June. Well, then it had to be rescheduled because another customer's carpet had been mismeasured. So I happily allowed Home Depot to give us a 10% refund for having to reschedule.

Then Monday, they came to put the carpet down, only to figure out that we'd have to use liquid nails because our house sits on a slab. So the guy puts down the tack strip with the liquid nails. Says he will be back on Tuesday to finish the installation. On Tuesday the liquid nails are fully set (it was extremely humid). We reschedule for Thursday. No big deal, it will still be done before the long weekend so we can start moving our furniture in, right? Wrong!!

On Thursday he comes. Lays out all of the padding. Cuts the piece that is going into the master bedroom. Then goes to roll out the carpet in the living room. And it is six inches short!! So, I'm given the choice, either let him lay the carpet with a seam in it or wait for another piece of carpet to be reordered for the right size. Well, I'm a perfectionist and we did pay extra so that our carpet would be seamless. So now, we have to wait until who knows when for a new piece of carpet to come in.

I'll be calling Home Depot on Monday and they will be giving me an additional refund for the hassle that we've been through. At this point it is keeping us from moving into our house. And, we will also be keeping the miscut piece of carpet. It will fit very nicely into Paul's bedroom.

It's July Already

Wow, I really can't believe it is already July. This year has been flying by so fast. I just don't know where the time has gone.

Well, really, I do. It's gone into the new house. Of which I should have some pictures to share here in a few days. We've got the living room and our bedroom almost done (at least for the time being). The only thing we are holding on is our carpet. It is going to finally be laid on Thursday. But, both of the rooms are already painted. Once the carpet is down we can start moving furniture in.

Oh, and we are getting a brand new heating and air-conditioning system. I entered a contest from one of our local news studios, and they chose us as the winners. That means that when it comes to tax season next year, we should be able to completely redo the kitchen and take a vacation. HVAC had been on our list of things to get done next year, but since we are getting it in the next couple of weeks at no expense to us, that means that no cost will be spared in the kitchen and it should not use all of our tax money.

On to scrapping subjects. I still haven't gotten the freebie that coordinates with my forthcoming Flowers and Fairies kit done. I've been spending so much time getting things done at the new house that I haven't had the design time that I require.

However, I do have a couple of layouts that I'd love to share.

This layout was created with Kristmess' kit Somethin Fishy from TSG. Here is the direct link to the kit: http://www.scrappinggarden.com/shop/product.php?productid=16787&cat=0&page=1

I had an absolute blast making that page. It is so far outside of my norm that it isn't funny, but then. It was a blast.

And it is only fair to also share a layout with Sissy in it too.

This layout was created with Katie Mann's Technicolor Dreams kit from Digitals. Direct link to the kit is: http://digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=10715

Kathryn had such a good time holding the Lorikeets at the Columbus Zoo, and of course I had a great time taking pictures of her.

Well, I guess I'll talk to you all again in a day or two. We're going to make homemade ice cream today with playgroup!