Taste the Rainbow

::::::::::::::::Some Recent Layouts of Family Events:::::



<sub>Credits: Jacque Larsen and Rachel Young: Good Day Sunshine collab
Font: DJB Dawn/ Inspired by Template by Darcy Baldwin at www.thedigichick.com
Kate Hadfield's Doodle Frames
Kate Hadfield and Tiff Brady's Wordy Bits Vacation



Credits: DJB Kira/ Inspired by template by Darcy Baldwin at www.thedigichick.com

May Collab kit for The Lily Pad featuring Amy Hutchinson, buttons by Kate Hadfield, painted art element by Natalie Braxton.

Emily and Angela Powers "Label It" alpha, and alpha from Art Nation Blossom kit

Date Stamp by Amber Clegg and circles by Jenna Desai


Credits: Jacque Larsen/Amber Clegg's Pocket Full of Sunshine
Jacque Larsen/Rachel Young's Good Day Sunshine
DJB Silje and DJB Sebastian

Credits: Jacque Larsen/Rachel Young's Good Day Sunshine
Jacque Larsen's Home Tweet Home
Natalie Braxton's Hoo Do You Love elements
DJB My Dear Marsha and DJB Sissy</sub>

::::::::::::::Pocketful of Sunshine::::::

I'm really enjoying a recent song by Natasha Bedingfield called "Pocketful of Sunshine".

::::::::::::::Cheeseburger in Paradise:::

I saw this funny thing in our local paper that allows you to dress up Jimmy Buffet. It's pretty funny.

Take Care! :)

The Weekend is Hopping!

:::::::::::::::::Busy Friday:::::::::

Decorating sugar cookies was a big hit for Eve's preschool class. The kids were so polite. Rachel helped me cut out flower, bunny, and egg shapes for the cookies. I bought some whipped vanilla frosting and I already had a variety of Spring themed sprinkles. Aaron read a really cool book about the Easter Bunny who is an "Artiste"


This is Eve showing me how to swing. "You kick out your feet, mommy!"

"Then, you pull them back!"


In the afternoon I went to help in Noah's class. I got to lead Noah's group on a scavenger hunt for goodies through the school. Then, I poured Sprite for the kids while they made dirt cups.
Noah's painted pail for the scavenger hunt.




In the evening the Girl Scout meeting went pretty well. I remembered the snacks and we talked about In-gathering. I plan to go as a chaperone.

:::::::::::::::::This Girl Has Skillz!

This is a layout of my SIL, Lettitia, helping the twins make a bracelet.



_{coming soon at sophia sarducci.com
http://sophiasarducci.com/warehouse/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=16&zenid=0246c82678e3f99bd71a76b5bed284e1
Sketch It alpha by Luisa Leandro
Also: Debut kit by Luisa Leandro at Sophia Sarducci
By Dawn Inskip: A Little Sunshine, Guest C.T. mini kit
http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=58&zenid=6f749e8e3eef36755bd930bff3df535c
TTS
http://digistore.treasurestoscrap.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=20
SSS
http://shop.scrapscandistyle.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=43
Font: DJB My Dear Marsha, and DJB LENA by by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick
http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/product.php?productid=17789&cat=273&page=2
Meredith Fenwick: Arrow from Caution brush set.
Scarletheels Media: Doodle Teeny Alpha
Rhonna Farrer: Snapshot Frames}

::::::::::::::::::::::A Crooked Kind of Perfect::::


by Linda Urban was such an enjoyable read. Her short chapter styles keep the book fresh and fast paced. The main character, Zoe Elias, is 10 years-old (almost 11) at the beginning of the book. Zoe has grand dreams to play piano at Carnegie Hall and be the next Vladmir Horowitz. Her dream takes a detour in reality as her father, who has issues with people and flashing lights, buys Zoe a Perfectone D60 organ, instead of a grand piano. Zoe learns to play the organ and enjoy the campy feel of being able to replicate such standard hits as the theme song to Green Acres.
Zoe's father is such an interesting agoraphobic. He buys into every diploma at home you can think up. He finally finds his niche in baking and surprisingly becomes a mentor to Wheeler, a class mate of Zoe's.
The title's meaning comes out, to me, in every facet of the book. Zoe wants to play a grand piano at Carnegie Hall. She gets to play a Perfectone D60 in a hotel conference room with metal folding chairs. Zoe's dad wants to support his daughter and family, but his agoraphobia limits how long he feels he can stay out in public. He compensates by finding a job baking in the morning away from the crowds. Zoe takes toe socks to a party that is filled with girls who like "Brats" apparel and knows that "nobody wears socks!" Zoe learns that with practice you can burp upside down due to her, unlikely, good friend Wheeler. The characters have the great quality of believeability, like "I know that person" type quality.
One of the great messages comes on page p165, "Perfecton itself is imperfection. I attributed to Vladimir Horowitz who went on to explain,...Each note can only be right in one way. A B-flat is a B-flat. A robot can get a B-flat right. But getting the heart right is something only a person can do. And the ways to do it are as many and as different as there are people in the world."

Zoe meets a girl at her Perfectone competition who makes this humorous observation: "Wouldn't that be funny if everybody wore shirts with true stuff on them?..."Like 'No Mind of Myh Own' or 'I Hope This Shirt Makes Me Look Cool."

I recommend this book for all ages. It is a fun refreshing book that is a bit off center...just like I like things!

btw, Thanks, again, Kim! :)

:::::::::::::::Recommendation Friday (on Saturday)::::::::

Dual purpose items that I find really cool are SKORTS and SPORKS. Folks, this REALLY is the best of two worlds colliding for a single great purpose in their respective spheres. (I haven't had much sleep lately...could you tell?)

Evey loves skorts and I love them, too! You get to have a girly fashion thing going on without worrying who in the world can glimpse you underwear. Active miniature fashionistas can be so happy.

Then, there is the spork. I was first introduced to the spork at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Though, I haven't supped from that fine fast food establishment in years I still have fond memories of the spork. Since Aaron needed a new cook kit and utensils Michael went to R.E.I. and picked Aaron up a really nice new cook kit and a spork. Aaron was really happy for both items. So handy and only one utensil to clean. Yippee!

:::::::::::::::::::Bead Socks::::::::::::
Here are the socks I make for the little girls in our family:





Happy Easter, y'all! :)

Catching Some Shut-Eye...

not me! It's just the name of the layout I did for our reunion.

::::::::::::A Layout From the Family Reunion::::

My nephew, Elliott, with his Aunty Teashy.



_{Darcy Baldwin: DJB For ANNIE/ DJB MICHAEL / DJB KARENscript at The Digichick
Jenna Desai: Whimsical heart doodles
Gina Miller: Canvas Of Colors
Lisa Whitney: Chalked Full of Color
Kate Hadfield: Newspaper Doodles
Catrine: Chalked Alpha
Holly McCaig: Doodle Frame
Emily Merritt: Bubble Wrap Brush
Natalie Braxton: Cardboard Cut-Out
Christina Renee: Punch label alpha}
My recent downloads from Spiral Frog :

India Aire: Video
The Little things

Billie Holiday: As Time Goes By
Embraceable You
On The Sunny Side of The Street
I'll Be Seeing You
I've Got a Man Crazy Bout Me (He's Funny That Way)

Spike Jones: Entire Christmas Album

Blues Traveler But Anyway

Cher: Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves

Ringo Star: Octopus' Garden


::::::::::::::::::::::Emotions Revealed:::::



This book was a fascinating read! The use of memorable news photos, study photos and personal accounts made this a very approachable work of psychology. Dr. Ekman was able to explain the many emotions that we experience in a practical, as well as, a clinical way. He also used words from other languages since some emotions didn't have a descriptive enough English word. He explained how surprise is the briefiest of all emotions and that startle is different from surprise. He showed how the eyes really help you determine a genuinely happy smile from one only done with the mouth. There is so much amazing information in this book! Two thumbs up!

My next book is by Paul Ekman, as well. Why Kids Lie

::::::::::::::::Aurora County All-Stars:::::::


We just finished this book on Thursday night. The kids were a bit luke warm on this one. I think that our kids don't get into sports stories, so there is a bit of a bias about the story. The thread binding the story was part of the poem "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman. The author never loses the thread and the story is tied up nicely at the end. The concept of how we are all connected and valuable is such a wonderful message. I recommend the book even if you have non-sports fans like my kids.


::::::::::::::::School Reading::::::::

Aaron has chosen for his next reading assignment for school to read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. We read it as a family a couple of years ago, so I wonder what new insight he will glean this time around.

::::::::::::::::Spelunking::::::::::::

Michael, Aaron and a couple of friends from Church have gone caving today. They are planning to get back to the waterfall in the back of the cave. Since Aaron has no body fat Michael made sure Aaron had plenty of synthetic clothes to keep him from soaking up the cold water. He was joking that he looked like Mickey Mouse because his leggings were black, his long sleeve shirt was white and his shorts over the top were red. We all laughed about that one.

::::::::::::::::Indexing:::::::::::::::

I worked on marriage certificates from Barbour and Jackson counties in West Virginia, then I was sent a 1900 Census. I am having a bit of trouble with certain letters. Argh! The census I'm working on is from Merrimack, New Hampshire. The information is really interesting. This is a great program if you are interested in being altruistic with your down time. :)

Smile!

Some Fun and Shabby Comments

My husband saw this comic strip and thought of me:



A little background on this as it relates to being funny to us. When I was a kid my mother would introduce me to people and they would then begin calling me Vicky. My mother would politely correct them that that was not my name. This scenario has been repeated all of my life. My husband, Michael, is a "Michael", so when folks call and ask for Mike I just laugh and tell him that someone we don't know is calling. Once someone who purported to know us well introduced us from the pulpit as "Mike and Vicky". We cringed. Names are important, or else we wouldn't use them and name and classify everything. I try not to be pushy about it, though. Rachel will usually tell people for me. She will say, "My mom likes to be called Victoria."

So, if I have been getting your name wrong let me know...after my little diatribe. ;)


::::::::::::::::::Jim Dale of Harry Potter fame::::::::

I love Jim Dale's voice and he was hilarious on Wait! Wait!. Got to the section called "Not My Job". You get such tidbits as where he got the voice for Dobby.


:::::::::::::::::::::Date Night?::::::

Michael and I are hoping to go on a date night and see The Bourne Ultimatim. We enjoyed the previous two films.

::::::::::::A Shabby Invitation...never looked so good:::::::

Once my dsl was repaired and I opened my email this invitation was waiting for me:


I'm excited to be able to play with her great designs in a few months.
I get to sport this little thing as part of the November Guest C.T.



:::::::::::::::Shopping with my Girly!:::::::






::::::::::::::Book Review::::::::
The Sisters Grimm: Once Upon a Crime


Another action packed story from Michael Buckley that kept the kids pleading to, "read ONE MORE CHAPTER! PLEASE!" The action takes place in NYC where the rag tag group led by Granny Grimm go to take the injured Puck. The king of Fairie, Oberon, is murdered and the Grimms, along with ex-sheriff Hamstead (one of the 3 little pigs) and Mr. Canis (The Big Bad Wolf) try to track down the killer. There is even a love interest for Mr. Hamstead. There is also the pungent cocoon that follows Sabrina around that creates a lot of laughs. The Wizard of Oz also plays quite a prominent role as a friend of Veronica Grimm, the girls' mother. Everyone is surprised to find out some information about Veronica that makes Sabrina rethink an important decision. This is a wonderful continuation of the series and we look forward, excitedly, to book 5 that will be coming out in December.

Non Sequitur
Just thought this was funny in light of the whole fairy tale genre book review.



:::::::::::::Aunt Teashy:::::::


This is one of my SIL's with our twin nieces.


Text: When Corinna and Dakotta saw Aunt Teashy they set off running and she scooped them up into her open arms.


_{Midnight in the Garden kit by Kay Miller
Word Art by Bethany Mott
Doodle Journal art, Pipecleaner flowers, doodled photo corner (Color Me Funky combo with Gina Miller) by Kate Hadfield
Doodle Frame by Holly McCaig
Black frame, scalloped border and white tab from Springtime in Paris by Michelle Godin
Doodle Alpha by Weeds and Wildflowers
Proof frame (modified) by Christina Renee
Block Alpha by Natalie Braxton
Font: DJB MANDY by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick}

::::::::::::::::Next Family Reading Book::::::

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift


Have a happy weekend!

Smiles!

Remembering when:

Eve was a tiny toddler and Lettitia was a teenager and most favored Auntie for all the Taylor kids. This was taken at my mother-in-law's home in Social Circle during a Family Home Evening. We try to get together around the first of the month. It is fun to look at the older photos that I'm finally getting around to scrapbooking and see how we all have changed.


_{Background paper from Studio Chic by Shabby Princess, papers and elements from Ellie's World by Nancy Rowe Janitz, Font: Farrah}

DE- STRESS:

I got this link from Jenn Star's blog and felt it imperative to pass it on:

BUBBLE WRAP

::::::::::::::::::::

It's Homeschool League bowling day at Brunswick Lanes so we will be running off in a little while for some bowling action!

::::::::::::::::::::


_{Enlighten papers, and tag (from Seasonal Scraps-Rain Shower) by Jen Wilson, Staples by Michelle Coleman, Frame by Rhonna Farrer, Overlay by Nancy Rowe Janitz, Fonts: Pea Lis, another typewriter, century, Distress. Scrabble alpha from a freebie (unknown maker)}

Michael and Lettitia allowed me to take a few shots of them during Makayla's blessing get together after Church. Lettitia has joined the ranks of us old married folk!

{My Aaron Spelling Tribute}

_{Font:Bitsumichi, Carbon Block and Arial}

When I got home I checked the news on the AJC and CNN and found out that Aaron Spelling had passed away following a stroke. I grew up on this guy's t.v. shows (good or bad)and I liked a lot of them. One of my favorites was Charlie's Angels. I was a Sabrina fan, then when she left I liked Kelly. For the brief time that Farrah Fawcett was on the show I was curious if she owned a bra?!? I don't personally like wearing them, but ha! I'm not on national television, though I'm sure the male audience is like SHUTCHA MOUTH! WHADDA YA TALKIN' ABOUT! It has to be said that I used an entire can of Final Net hairspray to get my hair to form the signature winged hairstyle sported by Farrah Fawcett. I also owned the famous bathing suit poster (many years since torn and thrown away) and that same poster photo on a t-shirt (I will scrap my 70's coolness very soon)!

The reason the layout is entitled "Roger's Angels" is due to the fact my father-in-law is deceased and this is a silly photo of Lettitia, Melissa and Sydney pretending to the Charlie's Angels. They had such a good time posing like this that we all had a great laugh (and maybe Rog, too?!)

So this layout is a simple fairwell to Aaron Spelling and his t.v. shows that helped me get through any homework I felt was boring, or any chores I was sloughing! Thanks Aaron! And a simple homage to my Father-in-Law who I really miss talking to!

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Ussery:

These pictures were made by my BIL, Marcus, he does a great job with his photography.

I want to thank Sandra Boddington for the kit that I used: Mulberry Memories, so THANK YOU Sandra!

_{Mulberry Memories by Sandra Boddington, frame (modified) by Shabby Princess, paper tear by Steph Krush}

Another Wedding Layout

<sub>Shabby Princess Kits "Splendid, and "Dinner Party" with Sara Carling, Paper Tear by Steph and Faux Jewels and Photo frame by Shabby Princess



Dreamy Purple papers by Jen Wilson, paper tear by Steph, faux jewels and metal prongs by Shabby Princess.</sub>

Layouts from Lettitia and Justin's Wedding

<sub>Wood overlay by Nancy Rowe Janitz, Laura's Shabby Arrows from her blog,Mo Jackson's Bark alpha (modified), fonts used: Wishes, CAC Shishoni Brush, Boopee, Henry Morgan Hand, Barbara Hand






Back ground paper from Lovely in Lilac: The Digi Chicks (Laura Alpuche), blanket stitching by Jen Wilson's 101 stitches, White Vignette from Edge Pack on internet, Fonts: SK Doodle by Taran Conyers and Amienne



The Digi Chick kit "Lovely in Lilac: Background by Laura Alpuche and Amber Clegg, White Grungy border by Edges Pack Sampler from internet, Fonts: Chalk Dust and Hello Sark

font used: TKDoodle by Taran Conyers and Pumpkinseed Medium</sub>
This picture made me think of an album cover because Aaron is looking off the frame to the right so seriously and Eve is oblivious to the camera as she fixes her shoe, while Noah and Rachel appear to be ready to yell "Boo" at an unexpecting Aaron. The Album cover idea I used was a combination of Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire by U2.


_{Paper by Iron Orchid Designs "Little Mai Papers", Kodak film photo from internet, stitches by Michelle Coleman}

Noah looked sharp in his sunglasses at the wedding: