MLS RAK and The 1st Day of my 40's...

WOOOO HOOOO!  HOLY COW what a weekend!  I have been through the whole My Little Shoebox Blog Hop and there was a TON of yummy stuff in there!  I can hardly wait to get into my studio and get SCRAPPING!!! 

This weekend was Homecoming, which I will post about shortly... football, dance, family in from out of town... WOO HOOO! 

And, today is a rather big day for me... my 40th birthday!  No, I don't feel any older... and, no, I don't feel any different.  I have been a reflecting over the past few days... looking back on my 20's...and my 30's... and looking ahead to what I wish for my 40's.  What I know for sure is that God has blessed me with the most wonderful and loving parents, family that will stand with me in the best of times and will carry me during the worst of times, a husband that is my best friend, the one that makes me laugh and the one that knows how to softly kiss me and make my toes curl... ;-)... my kids who make me proud and amazed and crazy and who I love with every part of my being... and friends... those from my school days through today...  that I know were each hand picked by God and placed in my life for one reason or another... I know that I am blessed... and this is EXACTLY where I want to be in my 40's!

Alright, now that I've been all sentimental, it is time to announce the winner of my MLS RAK! (chosen by random.org.  It goes to #58...

Nitasha (who) said...

SuperCute Mini! I'm following your blog and I adore mini albums so can't wait to see your future minis too!  September 17, 2010 6:20 PM

Nitasha, email me at traceylocher@cox.net with your address so I can mail that RAK to you! 

THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by, left comments and decided to hook up here and join me on this crazy journey of family, love, and creative design!  Here are a few cards that I recently made that I hope you will enjoy!  Both very easy and very quick and very MLS!  Make it a GREAT day!

My Little Shoebox BLOG HOP and RAK ALERT!

Welcome to the Land of Wooooo Hooooo!  My own private Idaho where I post about my family with Project 365, I share my design work and other random things that strike my fancy.  Today is all about MY LITTLE SHOEBOX and the BLOG HOP!  If you are hopping along, you just came from the talented Pamela Young's blog... I know, I know... she's a ROCK STAR!  If you just happened upon this post, you will want to get in on the action since there is a GREAT RAK (prize) opportunity at the end of the Hop!!!

Today I have a fun mini album to share with you called, "The Three Amigos."  Mini albums can come in so many different shapes and sizes and do not have to be a scary scrap project!  My first mini album took me 9 months to complete... yes, I said MINI album... and I was so scared to tackle each page that I hesitated, scrapped, hesitated some more... I didn't trust myself and it became a real labor of love (yes, pun intended!).  If you are new to scrapping or break out in hives when it comes to mini albums, here is one of my favorite design tips... Go simple and use ONE line of paper.  Don't worry about matching this embellishment to this tag to that paper... choose a line of product that was designed together... it will all match beautifully and make your job MUCH easier!

For this project, I chose to work with the "Sunday Market" line by My Little Shoebox.  As with all the recent releases from MLS, this line comes with 9 different papers, tags, stamps, stickers and alphas... plenty of yummy stuff to help you create one AWESOME project!

I have another design tip that will help you get your mini done in no time!  Design your first two page spread, then use that design throughout the book.  In this mini, I created each spread with the same design... one page has a photo and the adjacent page has a journaling block.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!!  So, I had my line of product... I had my photo/journaling block design... and very shortly I had a completed mini!!!

A few other notes, I used 3-D foam adhesive to make the photos "pop." I also distressed and inked almost everything... I know... it's an addiction...

Here, I wanted to put a photo on each page of the spread, but I needed a journaling block, so I hid one!  The photo of Anna walking with Robbie is on the top of the left side of this journaling block.  It is held together with a simple hole punch and ribbon.  Open the ribbon and you see the hidden journaling. 

So, there you go... a fun mini album about three of my favorite little kids... and their fun little relationship.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will pull up your comfy chair and stay awhile!  I would love to have you as one of my "followers"... the link is over there on the right if you would like to keep up with my designs and creative fun! 

AND... IF YOU BECOME ONE OF MY FOLLOWERS (or are already one), you will be entered into the random drawing FOR A RAK OF A SET OF THE STICKER SHEETS FROM THE NEW MLS LINES... 6 lines... 6 pages of stickers for a lucky follower!!!  Leave a comment on this post letting me know your follower status and your thoughts on mini albums... have you tried them... do you love them... let me know!!!

Next stop, the UBER TALENTED BECKIE DREYER!  For those of you that have been with me for awhile, you may notice that you are in the middle of a My Little Shoebox, RUSTY PICKLE reunion... this block of designers... Pamela Young, Beckie Dreyer and I were all previously Rusty Pickle Chefs!  ((...waving to my Pickle Sisters!!! Love you guys!!)) 

Thanks for coming by and make it a WOOOOO HOOOOO kinda weekend!! ;-)

Project 365 - HOLY COW... Player of the Game, Athlete of the Week for NCTimes & Union Tribune... AND UNCLE PAUL!!! WOW!

WHAT A WEEK!  This story starts last Friday, September 10th with the GRAND OPENING of the new OGHS football stadium and our first football game on the new field!  The Patriots played Crawford and what a home opener it was!  51-0... Patriots!  Chris had an AMAZING game... making 3 touchdowns in the first 3 minutes of the game (2 of them were called back, but the 3rd one stuck!)  He ended up with 3 touchdowns (that counted) and 208 yards on 10 plays. 

The game-end celebration started with our boys rushing from the field to the front of the stands... singing the Alma Mater at the top of their lungs... to the parents... and we were all cheering right along with them!  After a team meeting, Chris was interviewed on camera in the middle of the field... then led up to the skybox to do an interview for new online football broadcasting service, KBCsports.com. See his interview HERE!  I have to say, we've watched the players before Chris... Andy Early and Dana Walker, most recently... we've cheered and jumped around and been so proud of our Patriot boys, but there is something that just wells up when it is your son...the pride... the love... the excitement... I'm sure it is because it is his senior year, but I see him out there and I can almost see a dual movie screen in my vision... him playing the game and him as a toddler... Where in the heck did the past 18 years go?  I can tell that this is going to be one emotional year... Lord help us!

On an exciting side note, the media actually noticed Orange Glen and both the North County Times and the Union Tribune named Chris as one of their Athletes of the Week!  

On an even MORE exciting side note, Jeff's Dad and Uncle Paul were here for the game!!!  We only get to see Uncle Paul every other year (he lives in Michigan) and he was here for the whole weekend, so it was really something special!

On Saturday, (911) we decided to drive down to San Diego and visit the Midway (we love the self guided tour!).  This incredible warship, commissioned 10 days after the end of WWII, was the location of several tributes for 911.  We happened to be there after the morning event ended and before the afternoon event started.  This photo is of the flag bearers going through a rehearsal... lots of security around... and lots of veterans, too.

We enjoyed tours of the Bridge and Captain's Quarters.  A quick visit and then off to lunch at Joe's Crab Shack... YUMMMMM!!!  The weekend with Uncle Paul was full of laughter, long conversations, teasing, good food and better company... oh, and lots of football! Thanks for the visit, Uncle Buck... I mean, Uncle Paul ;-)... and don't take so long to come back out for your next visit!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

(Uncle Paul is such a kick in the pants! 

He let Anna wet and comb his hair... could you just kiss that lovable guy!?)

Project 365 - OGHS/Pt. Loma and Anna/Cat...

THAT'S IT!  I obviously can't keep up to date with Project 365... and, HECK NO, I'm not giving up on this year, because I am 2/3 of the way there... I'm just finished trying to post on time!  I have all the photos!  I have all the comments!  Life just gets in the way of posting on time... and that is alright!  Life is meant to be lived... photos can be posted a week or so later! ;-)

So.... I'm posting for last weekend... the first game of the season for Chris and his OGHS Patriots... vs. Point Loma.  I'm still scratching my head about how we were set up to play Point Loma, but our boys came out fighting!  Chris played a new position, half-back, and did very well scoring a touchdown and racking up 110 yards. 

One thing that always cracks me up about Chris is how strong he is on the field... let me clarify.  Not funny about his strength, because he works out HARD!  It is funny because he is moving down the field... the defense is trying to tackle him...and they have to hold on for a ride because it usually takes several guys, being dragged along the field, before Chris comes down.  Look at this shot... 6 POINT LOMA PLAYERS are holding onto Chris and he is still moving forward with the ball...this photo is funny to me... looks like our O-line is standing there saying, "Chris has this one handled... hands off, boys!" 

This weekend, we were also lucky to have our Goddaughter and Anna's best friend, Catalina, come for an overnight visit!  The girls had SO MUCH FUN!!!  Slumber party... hike at Dixon Lake and art project... swim at the Shedd's house... and of course, a fashion show!  The girls LOVED their Camelbacks... they could drink their water whenever they wanted!  Now we just have to teach them how to DRESS appropriatly for a hike...

I have been taking photos of these girls for so long, that I am starting to "re-create" some of my favorite pictures... just several years later.  That is the case with these two photos... the girls sitting there waiting for me to get ready for their shoot... LOVE it!  Almost exactly 3 years seperate these photos...

I have also been keeping busy training for my upcoming triathlon, school volunteer stuff and scrapping like crazy!  I'll share more of all this soon!  Make it a GREAT day!

Project 365 - Fashion Show... First Week of School...

Come on, now!  You go out.  You spend money on new clothes for school.  You must have a fashion show! ;-)  It is a tradition in our family (probably in yours, too) that you have to try on all of your new clothes for Dad when he gets home from work after a day of shopping.  After all, Dad pays for the clothes, right!?  Jessica did it.  Chris even enjoys modeling/showing Dad his new clothes.  My sister, Mary, and I did it when we were kids (and I LOVED it... actually, I STILL do it!)  So, Anna is just the youngest in a long line of fashion show models! ;-)

I decided for this week of Project 365 photos to shoot Anna each morning before school.  Now... of course, we had a HEAT WAVE this week... mid-80's by 9AM, humid (in San Diego, REALLY!?)... and over 100 degrees every day but Friday!  So Anna was a bit limited as to what she could wear... hope you enjoy the fashion show!

Yes, a Hello Kitty shirt and boots (it was 106 degrees this day... AUGH!) 

But she looked DARLING!

Make it a fashionably WONDERFUL weekend! ;-)

Project 365 - First Day of First Grade...

Yes, our baby is not a baby anymore!  I can't believe that Anna is in first grade already!  I feel so blessed that Jeff gave me the opportunity to stay home with Anna for the first 6 years of her life!  I know it is going to be really weird to have these quiet days without my constant companion!  Jeff and I were both there for Anna's first day, and she did great... although her first comment to me when I picked her up was, "That was a LONG day, Mommy!  I sure need to go home and get some rest!"  It was an emotional day for me... I miss her already!

It is now time to start work on my new little business... more on that later.  For now, make it a GREAT day!

Project 365 - COOL BREEZE 2010!!!

WHAT A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!!! For almost a decade (8 years to be specific) we have been heading up to The Lot so that Jeff and frat brother, Dave Carlson, could ride the Cool Breeze Century together, we would get the families together, and have a wonderful weekend. There was the ride in 2004 that was really tough for Jeff... took him a few hours longer to finish than normal... his last ride before diagnosis just a few short months later. Then there was 2005 when Dave and another frat brother, Dan Dawson, did the ride to celebrate Jeff and the end of chemo... and we were there to support Dave and Dan and their friendship! Then, I (finally) decided to throw my hat into the ring and joined the boys for my first ever bike ride in 2009... and finished the metric! So here we are... for the 2010 event...

Let's back up just a bit... we drove up to The Lot on Thursday so we could enjoy the last weekend of summer... Anna would start FIRST GRADE on Monday! Anna's new tradition is to set up "her desk" as soon as we arrive at The Lot! Her coloring books... her crayons... it might have been Grandma Louise's desk, but it is Anna's "office" during our stays! ;-)

Friday... We took a 13+ mile ride from The Lot to the ice cream parlor in downtown Ojai. It was a GREAT pre-race ride and a wonderful morning! That afternoon, we went to Dave and Mari's house for a yummy carbo loading dinner (thanks, guys!). I did a quick photo shoot with Anna and Shane (goofballs!) and then Anna stayed the night so that Jeff and I could get an early start on the ride. (Thanks, Mari!)

Saturday... I had planned to go for the full century this year, but due to the year end commitments at the high school, I had to take over 2 months off of training and just didn't feel ready to do the full century. I decided to do the mini metric and add 10 miles onto the end... 48 miles in all for me. Jeff rode the first part of my ride with me and then did the metric... so about 70 miles for him. Dave and friend Paul did the full century.

Oddly enough, I am LOVING spinning, but I am afraid of riding on the real road... I've heard too many stories and don't want to get hit or be run over... so, I only got in (2) 16-mile road rides before the 48 miles and was thinking it would take me around 5 hours to finish. I had a FANTASTIC ride and finished in 3:10... almost 2 HOURS FASTER THAN EXPECTED! I finished soooo early that I had time to go back to The Lot, get a shower and change before heading back to the finish line for the boys.  15.1 miles per hour average for me!  WOOO HOOOO!

Me, Jeff, and Dave just before the start...

Jeff and Abby... waiting for Dave to finish so we could all go enjoy our finish line BBQ!

Jeff, me, Paul and Dave... the 2010 riding group!

We always head up to The Lot for a BBQ and family afternoon after the Cool Breeze... this year was no exception. It was the perfect way to end the summer and get ready for another crazy school year!  Here is a photo of one of the most iconic items at The Lot... it isn't the original wagon wheel (that already fell apart), but this one looks just the same, and is in the same spot that Granddaddy put it all those decades ago... ;-)

On a strange side note, the part of the Cool Breeze that always freaks me out is the section that we have to ride ON THE FREEWAY! About 3 miles going north and about 4.5 miles going south... and my worst fear happened this year... two female riders were hit by trailer... THANK GOD they are going to be alright...

Project 365 - Back to School Supplies and CLASS LIST!

This might sound a bit strange, but I didn't like summer vacation growing up!  I LOVED school and I couldn't wait until I got to go back!  When I was younger, I spent many summers "playing school" with my sister and our neighbor, David.  They were the students and I was the teacher.  I had lesson plans, worksheets and a red pen to correct their work.  We set up our desks on our HUGE front porch and spent most of our summer days, pretending to be back in school.

So when the time actually came around to get our Back to School supplies, I was THRILLED!  But the BEST THING EVER was when the school posted the class lists... we got to see who our teacher would be, what kids were in our class and what classroom we would spend the next year in.  Still... after all these years... I get excited to see the "class list!"  I guess my excitement has rubbed off on my kids... here is Anna... RUNNING to see her new classroom!  (((  happy sigh )))

Of course, Project 365 would NOT BE COMPLETE without a picture of the supply stash... the new paper and pencils... pens and notebooks... shoes and backpacks... and yes... my supplies for Booster volunteer work, too!  I can already feel it in the air... 2010-11 is going to be ONE... CRAZY... YEAR!

Project 365... Chalk-art, Car Wash and Plumeria...

When Jessica comes over to visit with Anna, the two of them love to do crafts together.  Here is a picture of some of their "chalk-art" they left on the front stoop of the house. 

After a long day of work, Jeff came home and decided his work truck needed to be washed.  Anna was MORE THAN HAPPY to help him out... she ran into her room... changed into her swim suit... and got to washing the truck!  Here is your little "Pin Up" girl, Daddy! ;-)

Jeff and I LOVE tropical looking plants... Gingers... Palms... Orchids... and Plumerias!!!  I must say... with as many Plumeria plants that we have had over the years, we have never been able to get one to bloom... until now!  We purchased this beauty last year and SURPRISE, SURPRISE!  This citrus smelling beauty has popped out with all sorts of blooms... and several more stalks that are about to bloom!  See, Dad... WE DID IT! ;-)

Thanks for checking in and make it a GREAT weekend, everyone!!!

New layout... Creative Imaginations...

Yesterday, I finished up several design team layouts for my local scrapbook store, Ever After in Vista, CA.  One of my favorite parts of designing for a scrapbook store is that I get to work with lots of different companies... and sometimes with products that are TOTALLY not my personal style, but I show that they can work, "Tracey Style!" ;-) 

This is a fun layout using new Creative Imaginations... oh, and a few flowers... and, of course, SAKURA... (Permapaque™, Brown)... I used the pen as doodling on the green paper and as added dots around the banner.

I thought the circle paper was darling, but too much as a whole, so I cut it in half, leaving an opportunity to add circles (cut from coordinating paper), flowers and journaling.