LOAD: Day 22 Scrap an "End": Ella Boot Camp Drill #7 Stamping w/ Words

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap something came to an end.  The end of an era, journey, task, etc.  At first, I thought I would not follow the prompt, because I could not think of anything that had come to an end that wasn't extremely sad or frustrating. That is until, I looked through the wonderful Big Picture Gallery and I found a layout of someone's children who had fallen asleep at the end of dinner at the table!  Too Cute!  Then I thought of ALL those holiday pictures to Niagara Falls and BAM!!!  The last page of my travel album was born!  Thanks Laine! I began with Prima Marketing's Road Trip Collection, "Twists & Turns" entire page.  I did cut the bottom off and used a piece of blue "graphed" paper from the same line to create my subtitle "Memories to remember".  I also decided that this was the perfect layout to incorporate Ella Publishing's Boot Camp Drill #7, stamping with words.  I stamped the title "An Adventure Begins" and the subtitle, Memories to Remember.  My word stamp (my entire stamp) arsenal is limited and old.  And my technique is rough; hence why you see part of the square of the actual block stamp.  But I do like how this layout turned out;  I don't think I would have ever thought of the theme nor used stamps to create the title!  Thanks Laine & Nichol, respectively!

LOAD: Day 20 & Ella Boot Camp: Drill #2

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap the "action" photo or any photo we took during basic training.  I am hoping to accomplish that today, too but this layout is based on Ella's Publishing Boot Camp's Day #1, Drill #2 (night drill): Use pattern paper.  I chose a bold pattern, a geometric pattern and solid. The funny thing is I really thought I was choosing a bold statement pattern and adding coordinating patters to complement it.  The drill was to focus on how to use pattern papers, how to mix and match pattern papers.  I also focused on one of last week's LOAD challenges, use a bad photo.  These photos were taken last year on my blackberry. The lighting was bad and the chef's movements were fast! Hence the not-so-good photos.  I also included one of the embossed accordian fold flowers from Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration class. Walker had a blast during his first trip to the Hibachi Grill!  I loved seeing his face light up when the chef gave us an extraordinary display of dexterity.  PLUS, I really liked using all these pink papers on this layout to capture the pink tint in the pictures. I don't normally get to use pink on LOs with Walker. The pictures are from summer 2010.


 

LOAD: Day 19 Scrap Out of Order & Ella's Boot Camp Drill #1

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap out of chronological order.  It was also the first day of Ella's Boot Camp.  Boot Camp lesson was "no-grammar" journaling.  Document something in a pie chart, or comparison of two people on your LO.  I chose to document our daily schedule in a pie chart:  20% sleeping, 30% working or being educated, 15% sports, 15% either hunting (for the boys) or scrapbooking (for me), 10% fighting over homework, 5% watching Netflix streaming Hercules while playing with Daisy Dawg and 5% Deciding what to eat and then either going to get it or popping it in the microwave!  It was a fun challenge!  I also included some last week LOAD challenges, scrap a picture I have already used on a LO, stamp on your LO (row of flowers, title and flower embellishment), scrap something difficult (our daily routine).  I also used a new technique learned in Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration workshop; embossing and using distress inks on watercolor paper.  The embossed/watercolored flower (top left) is my attempt.  Here is our daily schedule layout!

LOAD: Day 15 Family

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap a challenging memory. Did that a couple of challenges ago; so you get this layout with a picture of our family, which we took at church.

LOAD: Day 6 Me

      The LOAD challenge for today, Day 6, was to use the picture,  I took of myself during our 9 week training, on a layout.  I used two pictures taken during Mr. & Mrs. Gregg's Anniversary party last summer (June 2010).  Love this picture of me & Walker. I used Cricut's paper lace "hearts1" as the background for the first time!  I also used a scrap square piece of pattern paper used on the layouts I created of Mr. & Mrs. Gregg's anniversary party. Used some left over Adorn it! felt black embellishments. I like how it turned out!  Here it is!

St. Joseph Graduation: Mitchell Mutz

Well, I had a niece and cousin both graduate from St. Joseph High School in Bryan, TX this past May. As always I am a little late in scrapping their pics but, I posted one of Kelsey a couple of weeks ago; so, I thought: let's post Mitchell's page! Here it is! His thank you letter was a crack up; so, I had to include it on the page! Hope you enjoy! It certainly made me chuckle! Go Purple and Gold!

Sorry I am so late in posting!

Zepponi New Year's Day!

Chet, Walker & Daisy

Happy New Year!! Zepponi style!  Today marks the 1st day of the new year as far as the Zepponi men are concerned. It is Dove Day! The beginning of all the hunting seasons! A lot of preparation goes into kicking off our Zepponi New Year, as named by sister-in-law Ashley! Dogs trained for retrieving (months in advance), shells must be bought (500 shells I bought Friday afternoon), guns oiled, cleaned and set out for early retrieval, shells loaded in the camo back pack, hunting clothes retrieved, cleaned and set out for that early wake up call, (camera ready for easy pick up by half asleep mom), baths taken and the alarm set for a 5:00 am (on a Saturday) wake up call!!! RRRR RRRR RRRR goes the alarm at 5:00 am dark! I sit bolt up in bed screaming, "What the...?"   The man and boy sleep. 15 minutes later: RRRR RRRR RRRR goes the alarm, again.  I kick the man saying, "aren't you getting up?  "yes," he says.   "Well do it and turn off the alarm," I say as a I roll over trying to go back to bed.

Daisy is sad she was left.

Movement is felt, lights turned on, the boy awoken, and I realize I must get up if I want pictures! Aargh! I get up groggily, stop them as they are trying to escape without getting their annual New Year's Day picture made! Thank goodness for the man. He has good sense. He makes the boy stand still, holds the dog, so I can get my pictures without alot of nagging, and so they can get out the door! Yahoo! They are off, only to return to retrieve chairs to sit on during the hunt. At 9:00 am. I receive a phone call. "Are you coming to mama's for breakfast?" asks the man. "No, I say. I just fell back asleep an hour ago. I might see you for lunch," I say groggily.

Relaxing after lunch

But I wake up, start moving and eventually head over to hunting camp central, my mother-in-law's home. Ribs await the hungry hunters, friends and family before a nap and/or play/swim time. At 3:00 p.m. the hunters gear back up and leave for the sunflower fields to find us some Sunday dinner! Some of the women venture out this afternoon and the rest of us "hunt" for a space on the couch to chit chat! The hunters and the retrievers (dogs and children) will come in at dark, tired and hungry but fulfilled with the sense of accomplishment, camaraderie and excitement as another Zepponi New Year's Day comes to an end.

Delise &Scott Menotti

Avery

 

Ellie

Hey, but this is just the beginning. They will be up tomorrow for more dove hunting, followed by bow deer season and alligator in October, gun deer season in November (this is Christmas Day), duck in January and last but not least turkey season in March. During these hunts, man teaches boy/girl the safety of hunting, the patience of quietly waiting, the knowledge that the young should be left to grow old and to give thanks for all that Lord has given. And if you should read this and you are not a hunter, we eat what we kill and/or share with those who want and/or in need.

Julia

   

Walker, Will & Leland hunting

                     Happy Hunting & Happy New Year to All! 

Billie's Shower: Bride-Elect of Alex Mutz

Last weekend, Walker & I traveled to Texas to help with the shower of the bride elect of my cousin! Billie's shower was wonderful! Many thanks to Aunt Sharon, who organized and orchestrated the event! Kudos to Aunt Sharon! I went to cart supplies, set up and of course provide my unneeded opinion! You have to love family, who still loves you after an event! Below are several pictures from the shower! And of course you will see them in a Layout soon enough or maybe a little later! Here we go!

The Bride Elect, Billie, and her attendants! So Young and Pretty!

Mother of the Bride, Bride Elect and Mother of the Groom...Don't they look lovely!

Many thanks to those hostesses! Especially Aunt Sharon!

The Beautiful Bride Elect of Alex Mutz! Billie is holding her "Faux Bouquet" to be used for the rehearsal.

If you know me, you know I had to give her a Christmas ornament! IT had a wedding cake on it (and I think) an itty bitty bride and groom on top! Can't wait for the wedding! It will be tons of fun! Stay tuned!

St. Joseph Graduation

Below is a Layout of Kelsey Dillard, my neice and Goddaughter, at her graduation. I used a sketch from ScrapHappy and the design challenge from Shimelle's crop weekend (see link to right): 3 is a magic number. where I would normally have a cluster of 3, I challenged myself to create a line from journal tag diagonally down right to the main star: Kelsey in her graduation cap & gown! I used some purple and (gold) yellow flowers, the color of St. Joe Eagles! Congratulations Kelsey! I will post more of her graduation and my cousin Mitchell!

Family

I really liked how this monochromatic LO turned out; so I decided to post it! It is a family picture at South Padre Island in April for my cousin's 40th birthday! Lot's of fun to be had!

I also posted 2 other LOs from our visit to Navarre Beach with my dad!

Walker's 9th Birthday

Just felt like posting a picture of the front LO of Walker's 9 year old album. His birthday was family only: swimming, cake, ice cream and presents over at Noni's!

Niagra: Shimelle's 4x6 LO

These are random pictures we took during our vacation to Niagra Falls & Canada! I used Shimelle's 4x6 LO from Two Peas. I need to journal but, I will eventually!