A few more layouts to share...

The top three layouts are pretty self-explanatory. On the graduation one, the journalling is hidden on a tag under a photo. This is my youngest cousin on her graduation day this year. My aunt is in the turquoise, my mom is in the black with terracotta, and my grandma is in the black and white. That's me in the all black.

The journalling on the layout at the right explains the layout: ""March, 2007 – These pictures make me smile BIG TIME! Melissa & Trudy came up to visit the U of M & also to celebrate Greg’s graduation. While they were here they said they were going to be downtown. I told them they HAD to stop into Target to see their cart escalator. Having come from Nebraska, where there’s plenty of room for urban sprawl, our Target stores are only one level, so this is a sight to behold. Not only did they go, but they took pictures…and gave them to me! Of course Melissa, being the typical teenager, said she was embarrassed that her mom made her take pictures, but I find the whole thing amusing! Thanks, girls, for humoring me."

Another new layout...

Another layout of me and the boy. I really, really love how this turned out (not to toot my own horn or anything). The patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye (actually the flowers and the swirls are cut from MME paper too). The swirls have a chipboard base that is by Making Memories. I got the rhinestones in a generic package at JoAnn's and the letter stickers are American Crafts.

A new layout

Just a simple one. Had a little serendipitous moment when I realize the Heidi Grace "forever" charm I bought 2+ years ago matches this Carolee's paper I got in April. :)

Creamy Lemon Squares

Here's a recipe a co-worker shared with me recently and it is divine! Great cool summery treat for an office gathering, baby or bridal shower, or picnic.

Creamy Lemon Squares

20 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (she used the 1/3 less fat and it was just as good)
1 cup granulated sugar (can use Splenda)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Combine wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and the brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. lemon peel, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.

BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining 2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel just before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftover squares in refrigerator.

Graudation Layout

Here's a layout I finished up tonight. I used Cloud 9 patterned papers (they're actually from their Dog Line) but I love the colors and the geometric/graphic nature of them that I adapted them for this. The letter stickers are American Crafts. Actually I had to get creative with the "r", "u", and "n" because I didn't have those letters left. The "r" is cut out of a lowercase "h" and the "u" and "n" are cut out of two letter "m's". The flowers are by Prima and the pearl brads are part of the Bazzill Bling line. The photos are from my BIL's graduation ceremony in May. He graduated with a lot of honors. In fact, he's the top-ranked non-native speaking Spanish student in his home state based on a test that he took. Pretty cool, huh? The other pictures include our family and his girlfriend. Thanks for looking.

Little things go a long way...

In spite of a few lows this week, I have to say that I have found happiness and inspiration in two of the smallest things, and I wanted to share those with you.



First, I had the honor of hearing Bill Cosby speak in person this week. He is every bit as fabulous as you think he's going to be. Funny, humble, smart, just AMAZING. One of the bits that I took with me was this: "Make yourself into a cocoon. Develop yourself. And when you emerge you have two choices. You can be the ugly moth that flies around with no direction and ultimately smears itself on a windshield. Or you can be a butterfly. Be the butterfly that flies around God's Garden doing beautiful things." Loved that. Be the butterfly.

Second, along the gardening theme, I went to Home Depot on Thursday night to get mulch and a few more bedding plants to fill in the blank spots. I found some gorgeous gerberas and also some petunias and some white flowers that are tall. I pushed the cart out to my car and was loading the plants all into the trunk. While I was doing this, a guy that worked there was collecting all the carts. He saw that I was about done with mine, and instead of just standing there waiting, he loaded up the mulch for me. How sweet was that? I mean, it's something I'm perfectly capable of, and its not something that his boss or another co-worker saw or that he was probably even told to do, so he did it just out of the goodness out of his heart. Very cool. He was being that butterfly.

Toodaloo!

Photography...

A few weekends ago, Greg was out of town for a bachelor party for a friend, so I took our new toy (a digital Canon Rebel) out to play. I drove up to Como Park for the day and shot around 500 photographs of plants and animals. It was a great day...learned some new tricks on the camera! You can see some more in my gallery at:

Zoo pics gallery

Let me know what you think....constructive criticism always welcome.