Ahhh, A fresh new face

Well, as you can see, I finally got my new background done. I have tried working with several different kits, but always hit a wall for whatever reason. Then I found this kit from LittleDreamerDesigns. It's called "Autumn Sky" by Lisa Sisneros, and I LOVE it! It's fall, but not overloaded with bright pumpkin orange. I hate orange. This kit feels like our fall here in the Pacific Northwest lately. Yes, the leaves are changing, but we still see the blue overcast sky. It's getting chilly, so don't forget your sweater. ;)

Anyway, that isn't the only thing I've been busy doing. Not by a long shot!

First of all, my hubby went away this year for the first time hunting with the guys from church. I was really excited about him getting to go, maybe even more excited than he was. But, what I didn't expect was how much I was going to miss him! By the night of the first day he had left I was a mess! I had to sit down and scrap him a page letting him know how much he means to me. So this first page is called "My Everything":

I made this using "Simply Fresh" by Karen Wallace at DigitalScrapGarden. Making this helped, but I didn't really feel any better until he called me later that same night! That was unexpected because there was no cell service where they went. But I was sure glad to hear from him.

My next one was from my very first Speed Scrap Challenge! Ellandriel hosted the challenge at SunshineStudioScraps, gave us all our directions and here's what I came up with, "My New 'Do":

The kit I used is called "Neopolitan Taffy" by Dani's Delusions at SUN. I used the same picture I showed you a few weeks ago went I had it done. I had to scrap it, nobody believed I would do it, and I like it, so it's something I want to remember.

Next is my first CT page requirement for this month and my page for the Template Challenge for Oct. 1. I used a beautiful kit called "Seriously" by Craft-tastrophic. The template was made by Jeneva4u, all at the SUN. The photos were taken back in July at my nephew, Noah's, birthday party. Here is "Canada Goose":

And my last one was made for another challenge at SUN. This one is the Monthly Layout Contest. Each week you get a 1/4 of that months kit, and then you have to make a LO with only the pieces you get as you go along. The kit is called "Fall's Whisper" by The Wonder Girls. And the template is from Pam Marotz. The photo I used is from last Halloween. It is my beautiful niece, Akaila. Here is "Fall Fairy":
I hope you enjoyed my scrappin' mania as much as I did, lmbo. BTW, at the beginning of the year I put a little ticker on the right side of myblog, keeping track of how many pages I get done in 2009. My goal was to get 100 done. Check it out, I'm at 83! And I still have 3 months left! I may exceed my goal! That would be awesome! I've got lots of challenges I want to get done this month, so I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back again to share some more. Until then...C'ya!

On a roll...

Last night I actually sat here and got 2 layouts done, back to back! And I am so happy with both of them. I think they turned out really well. One thing that really helped me was to have found 2 awesome templates! I love surfing all my digiscrappin' friends blogs and finding all the treasures they create for us.

My first layout has been in the plans for a while now. I got an adorable kit from Kristin Aagard called "Grade School" over at ShabbyPickleDesigns.com that I knew I was going to use to scrap Zach's first day back to school. But the page just wasn't falling into place very easily. Then last night I went to a site I haven't been to in a while, called PepppermintCreative.com. I forgot how much I loved their "Pimp My Page Challenge". They have some AMAZING templates, for FREE! So I downloaded that and put it together with my kit and, voila', Zach's 1st Day '09:

Man, he's growing up so fast! Literally! We just bought their school clothes the week before school started and his pants are already high-waters on him! How can we keep up with that!? lol

My second page was another one that's always been in the back of my mind. The pictures anyway. One day luring the summer when I was babysitting my sisters girls we spent the afternoon playing out on the porch with the sidewalk chalk. That was something new to Toni. I think she got as much chalk on herself as she did on the ground!

Well, I found a new site to play on last night. The owner is a designer selling her stuff in the SUN. So I decided to mozy on over and check out her site. Well, she actually has a forum where she hosts her own challenges and such. FUN! I found a great template there as well! If you go to her site at http://www.shanmomto4designs.com/ and sign up for her newsletter you'll even get one of her kits for free! You can not beat free! I LOVE it! Anyway, here's my page "Playing with the Chalk":

I actually used a combination of 2 kits, both by Michelle Coleman. They are "Wild Sorbet" and "Bohemian Summer". I got them from LittleDreamerDesigns.com, but they are no longer there. :( But she has a LOT of beautiful kits in her shop. Go take a look!

I actually got some cute pics of Kaila on the same day I took these 2 that maybe I'll scrap as a 2nd page to this one. I'll just have to find that elusive perfect template! LMBO!

I hope you liked my pages. With the start of a new month (Where on earth did September go???) I'll be busy, busy, busy over in the SUN. This month I have added to my duties. I'll be hosting a Template Challenge, a Scraplift Challenge, and a Lyric Challenge, as well as posting to their blog several times. I'm so excited!

Oh! I also replied to a CT call for PolkaDotPlum.com. And inquired about a position at GETDesigns.com. I will definitely be keeping you posted on those! But for now, I must go to bed. I get my little cutie Toni again tomorrow morning. Then it's the weekend! Yeah Baby! So, until I have something new... C'ya!