Project - Done!!!

Hey there! Surprise! An update!?

Well - I am done with my latest clients' album! I am amazed each time that I actually get paid for doing this! It is such a joy to work with people's precious photo's and create a work of art that they will treasure and show off for years and generations to come! This was a Wedding album - and so those, and babies - are always so full of love and joy! I got to play with the new Basic Grey Wisteria line and let me tell you - it is GORGEOUS!!! The colors are amazing and the prints are so fun - elegant and whimsical at the same time! (In other words, classic BG!) I love it! I have asked her permission to post a few LOs and she graciously said yes! Of course - we did about 42 pages in all, and a matching Keepsake box to keep some 'unscrap-able' items in... so I won't show all - but here are a some of my favorites:

I have also worked on several cards in the past few days - but will wait until they are at least mailed out before I show them off here! I actually did get out my Cricut though and played with that! I keep thinking I don't really have enough cartridges to really play with it... I only have the Basic/George Cart that came with it, the Fabulous Finds cart, and the Alphalicious cart... not a lot of shapes or layers or anything... but I discovered some fun things to play around with a bit... I know one day (soon) I will have time to really figure out what all it can do! I am planning on reinvesting some of my profit from this last job back into the business by purchasing a Cuttlebug, and SCAL to go with my Cricut! I can't wait! Then I will feel like I can look at a few Shapes carts when they are on sale and see?! At this point, I want the alpha options for the business... so once I get the SCAL software figured out - I will have TONS of fonts to choose from for free - so that will free up some spending money to play with carts, embossing files, and die cuts for the Cricut and Cuttlebug! I am SO not a big Tool girl... so this is a big step for me!

We are still a One Car family - but this week we are having the Gangsta car looked at by our mechanic! He will give it an hour or two and go through it and let us know his opinion on whether it is a good deal or not! I am praying that it is - and that the owner will deal with us and I can have a car - a nice tricked out car, no less - by the end of the week! Say some prayers... I will keep you posted!

Oh - how could I forget?! Here is my new little neice - Elsie May! Isn't she just ADORABLE?!


And here is a cute shot of my KK with our little Lincoln Log!


Well - I will have my new toy this afternoon, and hopefully the SCAL within a week... so I should be playing and creating a bit this week! I also need to work on some Hoorray and SpoonFlower work as well... and I have not written anything in months! I am hoping once school starts back up - I will have a routine and will find the time I seem to have lost over summer?!

Scrap Happy and Spark on!
~Karrilee~

Hoorray - we're off and running!!!

Wow - I can't believe it has been almost a month since I last updated?! I apologize once again to the masses! LOL! I can see by the lack of smack - ya'll didn't even notice - much less miss - my absence?! I am not sure how I feel about this?!

I will just take solace in believing that you must be just as busy with summer and life as I have been! Life is good... and summer brings with it lack of routine - which if you know me at ALL you know how much I thrive on routines and schedules! So - after our DC trip it took me about a week or so to get back into my normal life! I have struggled this summer in remaining focused and disciplined with my weight loss efforts... last year was hard in the summer but I was still losing at a steady pace and so the motivation was there! This year, however, I have been battling through that dreaded Plateau - leaving my motivation dragging behind... I have lost a bit here and there... (and gained it back and lost it again) and I should remeasure soon - but I know that I haven't been consistent in the Strength Training to really 'blame' it all on muscle! LOL! I am pressing through... I am nearing the 80 pounds gone mark - and hope to press through and lose another 20 or so at a regular pace!

I am working on a Wedding Album - LOVE to do these!!! I get to work with the Basic Grey Wisteria line and I am in LOVE with it - the colors are so yummy! I have done a few Baby Albums as well...

I have also been partnering with Hoorray.com in designing digital photo books! This is such an awesome opportunity - and a great site! So far, I have designed about 5 lines - 2 birthday, 2 PuppyLove, and a FriendshipCafe Line! I think they are slowly adding the creations - so check out the website and look for my creations in the Designer Lines section! Right now - they are featuring my PuppyLove line for Girls! I also have one in more masculine male colors... Check back here soon for a little LOVE... hoping to get a freebie or two to share with you all - my faithful followers and sneaky stalkers! I love these photo books because they make GREAT gifts or special occassion books with a scrapbook look but they are fast and easy - just upload your photo's to Hoorray and drag and drop! Nice!!! So - check out the designs and let me know what you think!

Anyway - I will be back to a normal routine soon... I am working on some holiday themes for Hoorray and hope to be back to writing soon too!

So - what have you been doing this summer?! Are you working on any fun layouts or vacation picture projects?! Do tell!!!

Scrap Happy and Stay Cool! (We're in triple digits here!)
~Karrilee~

Our Vaca in DC and the Sisterhood

Well, we are back from our vacation to the East Coast... we've been back for almost a week - although it doesn't seem like it! I think we needed a week to recover! We had an amazing time though and came home with tons of memories and, of course, quite a few photo's as well! I plan on making a photo book digitally using most of them - but you know I am gonna have to play with some of the pictures using paper and scissors, scrappin' 'em old school!

Our flight from Seattle to Detroit was a red eye and we did not get any sleep whatsoever! Not that we would have anyway- (just couldn't get comfy on a full plane!) but there was this single Mom with an inconsolable baby... I felt bad for the both of them - but also for the rest of the passengers! It also made me very thankful that not only is my daughter older, she is a great traveler - always has been! We changed planes in Detroit and flew in to BWI in Baltimore around 9ish on Monday morning... we were feeling pretty exhausted and once we gathered our luggage and caught the train to downtown, we were then left to wander the streets, looking for our hotel! Luckily it really was only a few blocks away and they let us check in early - which meant sleep - glorious sleep! We spent our first day there, after napping, walking around Inner Harbor in Baltimore. That was fun and a great little area... We began to get text messages and phone calls in the late afternoon from friends and family - concerned that we may have been in DC that day - using the Metro system that had the accident. We were not anywhere close to DC on Monday and had no pans of using that particular system while traveling around - but we DID need to use the light rails and other trains during our trip - so I purposely did not turn n the news or read the paper... I have an active imagination and do not need any extra visuals to help out!

Tuesday and Wednesday were our planned days to go in to DC... we commuted via the Marc - which was about an hour ride into Union Station. Wow... Union Station is pretty impressive on its own! A huge hub of activity and buzz! We managed to get almost everything on our list done while in DC! We saw the Capitol (but not inside!), the Washington Monument, the White House, the World War 2 Memorial, the National Archives, the Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum, as well as most of the Smithsonian's! We didn't get to take in the National Zoo, the National Aquarium, or the Library of Congress. We would have liked a bit more time to drink in the art and to wander some of the Gardens - but we had full days and all had a great time! My top three favorites were definitely the Lincoln Memorial, the World War 2 Memorial, and the Room of Remembrance in the Holocaust Museum.

On Thursday we could have taken the train in again - but decided to explore more of Inner Harbor and just take it easy! We ended up taking the water taxis all over the area - including going to Fort McHenry - where the Star Spangled Banner was written. Pretty cool! We loved Fells Point - a quaint little port town with tons of history and, of course, crab cakes! We did a bit of shopping and finally (FINALLY!?!!!) found a Starbucks! Yeah - day FIVE... and I finally got to have coffee?! We also heard of Michael Jacksons' death... which left my daughter in tears... even surprising herself! We were fans BEFORE the renewed frenzy after his passing - but it was sort of a joke before... I mean - people made fun of her... and now everyone has his songs on their ipods!

Friday we rented a car and headed to PA! Wow - Washington State is a green state - but nothing like PA! It is gorgeous and lush there! We drove to Hershey and met up with the Sisterhood! My group of girlfriends I 'met' online via SparkPeople.com! We had become fast friends and chat online every week and after about a year, finally decided to plan a Scrapbook Retreat so we could all meet in person! Most of them are over in the other side of the country - so it made sense to meet over there... 10 of our 12 were able to make it and we had a BLAST!!! Not much scrapping got done - but still?! Actually there were a handful of productive scrappers - you know who you are! - but most of us just enjoying chatting in person and hanging out! As much as we would love to do it once a year - realistically it is more likely we will do it every other year, or every three years!? We'll see... we will definitely do it again though! Chatting online now - though it is more fun - is just not the same!

While I was with my girlfriends, the fam' traveled to New Jersey and New York for some sight seeing. Yeah... it was stressful and almost deadly - but they made it and even ended up having a pretty good time! It was great that the two of them got to spend some one on one time together! They got to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, the New York skyline, take the subway and have breakfast on 33rd & Broadway and walk around on the New Jersey Boardwalk! They gladly headed back to PA on Saturday afternoon to check into a hotel and catch a movie and just unwind! They came to get me on Sunday - just missing most of the Sistahs (or is that Sissers?)... thanks again Robin for staying with me! We hung around the area for lunch and a bit of roaming and then went back to Baltimore - ready for our flight home on Monday! I DID get to see fire flies on Sunday night... no pix sadly - but still - that is one thing I wanted to see that I was doubtful was going to happen!

Our flights home were nicer - quieter... and even after having car trouble on the way back home - we were so happy to BE home again! We left our hotel Monday morning at 9:15 Eastern time and crawled into (our OWN!) bed around 4am Eastern time! It was a LONG day!

So - we are back home - and back to our normal life - which right now is full of changes and challenges, but we are so thankful for the great vacation and memories made! Now we are faced with car shopping, job hunting, and refocusing on projects at hand! I will be jumping into that Wedding album job next week and have completed five themes/books for Hoorray.com so far! Look for Hoorray to relaunch the new site soon - featuring digital scrapbooks where you simply drag and drop your photo's - quick and easy! I just completed a Friendship Cafe book that I am really excited about, as well as a PuppyLove book for you dog lovers out there!

I will include just a handful of my favorite pix from our trip...
Enjoy - and Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~

The fam at Inner Harbor

The fam at The Capitol in DC

The Botanical Gardens - DC

The Declaration

WW2 Memorial

The White House

Lincoln Memorial

KK @ Lincoln Memorial with WA Monument in background

WA Monument

NY Skyline via the Staten Island ferry

Statue of Liberty

On Staten Island Ferry

New Jersey Boardwalk

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Crops
I love these girls!!!

Lastly - as I posted in my last update - I read the Operation Beautiful blog and decided to play along... so here are a few of the Post It's I left along the East Coast...

Getting Ready for the East Coast, Baby!

We are in countdown mode now - leaving for DC/PA/NY in a little over 24 hours! I can't believe it is finally here! I am the first to admit to the fact that I should know more of our American History considering how badly I have wanted to visit our Nation's capitol. I have wanted to go to DC since I was probably around 8 or 9, but I just didn't come from a family that traveled! We lived about 3-4 hours away from extended family and rarely even saw them? My parents were just not the "let's hit the open road and go somewhere" kind of parents. Our road trips included stress, and handwritten blood types and wills and who the kids should go to in case of accident or death!? Good times... good times!?

So - somehow, whether I was aware of it or not... I picked a husband who loves to travel! While we are not yet able to GO as far or as often as we would like, the desire is there and we have 'gone' more than anyone else in my family, that is for sure! I explained to him early on the importance of Family Vacations and we have been consistent to take at least one or two a year. Usually they are within driving distance and fairly low key! The point of a vacation is to relax and unwind, right?!

Well - along came SparkPeople and I met up with a handful of delightful, fun, creative women (you know who you are!) on the same journey of weight loss as I - and we all hit it off and became the Sisterhood! We are the self-proclaimed Sisterhood of the Traveling Crops! We talked for quite some time about traveling crops and retreats and finally began planning one. At first we thought it would be an annual event - but reality is setting in before our first official Retreat and we are realizing maybe every OTHER year is more realistic? At any rate... the location picked was just outside of Hershey, PA (Yeah - didn't I say we were all trying to LOSE weight?! LOL!?) I really didn't want to have to travel that far on my own... and since i have always WANTED to go to DC and it is so close... we just decided to plan our summer vacation around the Retreat!

We leave Sunday night... take the red eye and arrive in DC on Monday morning... we have plans to stick around Inner Harbor on Monday... go in to DC on Tues and Wed (and maybe Thurs too!?) and then we will head to PA for my Retreat! While I am busy scrapping with the Sisters.. my fam' will take in some sights in NY! I have to admit to being a little bummed that they are going to NY without me... but I am also super excited for them! Besides, I am pretty sure that I will be having a great time with the girls!!! So - while I am not so sure how much RELAXING we will squeeze in to THIS trip - we will hopefully get to see all of the things on our wish list!!!

Once I return home, I will dig into that Wedding Album job I have... all the papers are so pretty and it has taken some serious restraint not to start in on it now... but once I am in, I am all in! I will also continue to design for Hoorray.com - look for them to launch their new website in early July... and check back here for some Freebies/Prizes from them soon!

Oh - and lastly, while we are gone - we are packing up a new Post-It Pad and plan to put it to good use via Operation Beautiful all over the East Coast! For more info and to play along - check this out:

http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2009/06/operation-beautiful.html

So... I hope you are all enjoying your Summers...
getting some rest and rays
and Scrappin' Happy!
~Karrilee~

Hey?! Turns out I LOVE to Scrapbook!?

It's true... it's really true!

I hadn't Scrapbooked - as in paper and scissors - in AGES it seems!? Since probably February!? I was able to order the "Wisteria" line by Basic Grey for my client - can't WAIT to see it all in person! However, since I ordered it last week - I knew I would need to print out my own photo's and get officially caught up again! It's a little deal I have made with God... I love the business - but never wanted it to take off so much so that I didn't have time or joy in scrapping my own stuff! So - I printed out photo's from March through my recent California trip last week and got busy! I 'kitted' everything Thursday afternoon, and made a birthday card (using a SparkPeople Bday SWAP Shape!) and I was able to finish 5 LOs at my Scrap Happy crop... Friday was my online chat/crop and I was able to finish up the other 7! Oh yeah! I am all caught up, baby! ...And as an added bonus - it turns out that I really DO love Scrapbooking! I mean - I really do still love it! (Believe me - this is good news to me! LOL!)

Here is what I did:


A Speed Scrap Challenge:


and my own pages:

























So - while my 'little one' was away at a friends' b'day party - one of her youth group leaders' came to pay Kayelyn back for tee-peeing her car. Only - Kaye's 'vandalism' was rather impromptu and lacking - while Vals' - well - not so much?!






After that, Dave and I went out for dinner... it was a GORGEOUS night in Yakima... it had been super hot all day and the sun was out... a few clouds in the sky - a slight breeze - perfect weather for outdoor dining! So we drove downtown looking for someplace to eat outside and impulsively decided on Santiago's... nachos and a beer - mmm - not so Spark friendly - but I had 'room' in my ranges and it just sounded good!





So - we sat down, placed our order, and it began to sprinkle. OK - fine... a little rain is not a big deal... and so we moved to sit under the netting... and then came the DOWNPOUR! I am talking torrential rain!? It only lasted for maybe 15 minutes or so... but we had to move inside... when it cleared, we bravely moved back out and thoroughly enjoyed a great dinner outside together... definitely made a memory there!

This morning we went for a jog, walked to Starbucks and enjoyed our morning coffee with the rest of Yakima in the sunshine! Nice! Hope you are all enjoying your weekends and have stirred up that love for scrapping too!

Now that I am all caught up - I can get back to designing for Hoorray (until that Basic Grey box arrives anyway!) Work, work, work! Good to know I really do still love it!

Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~