Wacky Wednesday

First the bad, then the good...read on...

Today didn't go exactly as planned. Let's start with the "Welcome to Life in Denver" image my husband posted on Facebook earlier this week. This is not a joke folks, this is actually this week's weather here, which did indeed proceed according to the forecast.

Now that you have the context, I will get on with my story. Today was a rare school-based-appointment-free workday, so I had planned to take the kids to school, get ahead with some scrapbooking assignments, participate in a work phone call, and get some other things done around the house. I dropped the kids off at school, came home, put coffee on, answered one quick phone call and made another quick call, and then went downstairs to answer emails. I heard a very loud crash and ran upstairs. I peeked outside and out the window and then had to go outside to photograph what I saw:

 
That's my driveway. You can't see it, but behind the tree is my car. Oy. The neighbors have called their tree guy to deal with this, but it's now two hours after they were supposed to show and they still aren't here. I had to have Seth leave work early to pick up the kids and Eli's friend who is coming over for a playdate as I am still trapped, well, trapped if I want to use my car, that is!

The whole city looks like this. It is crazy! The snow is so wet and heavy and trees, tree branches, and power lines are down all over the place. Getting on Facebook this morning I saw that three friends in Denver and beyond had posted similar stories, two involving neighbors' trees in their yards.

Okay, now that you've seen the bad, here's the good in my day:

1. First the REALLY good: the tree didn't fall 15 minutes earlier when I was walking through that exact same spot.

2. Great things happening at work. I'm excited to be using some expertise that's been dormant for a couple of years.

3. I have a layout up on the Bella Blvd blog today as part of this week's inspiration using the mid-release lines. My layout features the new Spring Flings and Easter Things line:

(I might have to use the Winter Wonder line with the photo I posted above!)

Please keep your fingers crossed for me that I will be able to get out of the driveway soon! Sending safe thoughts to everyone in Colorado affected by today's storm!

New Bella Blvd Shipping!

For those of you who have been waiting, Bella Blvd's mid-release begins shipping to stores today!

  

Be sure to check out the Bella Blvd blog all week long to see projects from the team using the new lines.

Challenge Layout

I'm hosting the Monday Challenge over on the October Afternoon blog today. I'll give you a peek at my layout here, but you'll have to head on over to the challenge post to read more about it. ;)

 Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!

 

Bella Blvd Design Team Layouts

Bella Blvd has been introducing a few design team members each day, and I'm among those featured today on the Bella Blvd blog! Be sure to click on over there to read more (including some random facts about me!) and to see the other talented ladies being introduced today.

I've already shared one of the four layouts I created for the design team call - I'll share the other three here.

First up is a layout using one of my favorite photos and the Finally Fall line. I love the mix of colors and patterns in this line, and, as you can see, went a little crazy with my apple punch. :)

This next layout combines products from the Finally Fall and Christmas Wishes lines.
 

Last is a layout I created using the Too Cute to Spook line.
 

If you missed yesterday's posts over at the Bella Blvd blog, please go check out the two new mid-release lines (Winter Wonder, Spring Flings and Easter Things) as well as the additions to the Sophisticates line. There is a giveaway associated with each post, so be sure to check each one out and follow the directions/leave a comment to be entered to win!

New Bella Blvd!

That's right, there's a brand-new mid-release from Bella Blvd! The release includes two new lines and two additions to the Sophisticates collection. As always, Stephanie does a great job of mixing themed patterns and embellishments with more basic/generic patterns and embellishments so there's something for everyone in each line.

Without further ado, here are the papers and embellishments from the Spring Flings and Easter Things Line:

Egg Hunt:

:

A Tisket A Tasket:
 

Mom's Bouquet:
 

Sunny Sunday:
 

  
Borders :

Cute Cuts:

Alpha Bits Stickers:

Just Write Stickers: 

Miniatures Stickers:
 

I love all the cute animals and bugs in this line and the colors and patterns make me happy.

Now, let's take a look at the Winter Wonder line. Being from Colorado and having two snowman-makers, three skiers, and four hot-chocolate-drinkers in my family I am certain I will be using this line a lot! I could also see bits and pieces being used for Valentine's Day, summer/beach, or camping/nature projects.

Blizzard:

Toasty:
 

Ski Slopes:
 

Icy:
 

Borders:
 

Cute Cuts:
 

Alpha Bits Stickers:
 

Just Write Stickers:
 

Miniatures Stickers:
 

Last, but not least, here are the additions to the Sophisticates line. 

Miniatures Card Sentiments Stickers:

 Miniatures Family Stickers:

So, what do you think? Are you as excited about these new products as I am? :)

Welcome, October!

Hello, October! I am already liking October, as it's a typical Denver early fall weekend: low 80s and sunny. October is my favorite month. It's always been my favorite month. I love watching the leaves change, enjoying the crisp fall air combined with the Colorado sunshine, going to the fall festival and the pumpkin patch, drinking pumpkin spice lattes, getting ready for Halloween, and making soups and stews.

October also brings a new gallery at Write.Click.Scrapbook. This month's theme is shadows. I love how many different interpretations there are in the gallery! There are shadow photos, layouts about being someone's shadow or being in someone's shadow, and design elements that are shadows. I went that last route with my layout:

 

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics

Chipboard Silhouettes (used as masks): Maya Road

Mists: Studio Calico

Wood Veneer Letters: Studio Calico

Pen: American Crafts

Today is also a holiday in the papercrafting world: World Cardmaking Day. In honor of today, Bella Blvd has a blog post up showcasing cards from the design team, including this card I recently posted:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics

Patterned Paper: Bella Blvd

Stickers: Bella Blvd

There's also a sneak peek up on the Bella Blvd blog (scroll to the bottom of the post)! Stephanie has designed a mid-release, including today's sneak peek item, which is perfect for cardmakers! Stay tuned for the full reveal on Monday!

I'm looking forward to creating some cards today - after a fall festival first, of course!

She Cracks Me Up

Agent Seven Two Zero, that is:

 

She's been hilarious across the last couple of weeks.

First, she came home from a trip to Barnes & Noble with her brother and her dad and screamed, "I bought a spy kit AND IT COMES WITH A FAKE MOUSTACHE!" A few minutes later she sidled up to me and said, "You have to call me Agent Seven Two Zero, because that's my spy name." Thus far, spying has consisted of dressing up. No actual spying has occurred. 

Second, there's a new verb conjugation in our house. Sadie is constantly "make suring" the lights are turned out, or that she's gotten the right answer, or that the door is closed.

Third, I've been contemplating reorganizing the playroom now that the kids are getting older. I started to share my plan with the kids, which began with, "Remember those Expedit bookcases at IKEA that had all the cubes?" About two paragraphs later, Sadie interrupted me and said, "I'm sorry, mom, I haven't been listening. After you said IKEA I started thinking about IKEA and then I started thinking about Swedish meatballs...mmm...Swedish meatballs..." Clearly, IKEA means different things to different people. I drool over the Expedit and its cheap price tag and potential for organization and Sadie drools over meatballs. For added context, when I asked the kids last week where they wanted to go out to dinner, they yelled, "IKEA!" It took a while for me to convince them that IKEA's main identity, is not, in fact, a restaurant, and most certainly is not a destination restaurant, at least not in my world!

I can't wait to see what she comes up with this week! :)