Organizing My Thoughts and Plans for Easter Dinner 2010

Hello, there. Are you hungry? I am just planning the menu for the Easter Sunday meal I am hosting for my family this weekend.

The Easter bunny, Gerry, my mom, my mother-in-law and I have all communicated about our Easter Egg hunt/ celebration. Most of our guest will be staying for dinner. A few, will be going back home to cook their own for their guests. We are grateful that they will be making time to share a portion of their busy day with us.

Once we get home from church, we are having the egg hunt. Then onto dinner. Here is the 2010 menu I made. Every successful dinner party is planned, organized and goes off without a hitch right? Well, mine will be something short of perfection. The food, however, will be oh-so-good. Here is my list below. (inserting photos of said food after I take pictures of it on Easter) How does my list compare to what you traditionally have for Easter Dinner (or a Sunday dinner with family if you do not celebrate Easter)?

MENU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Appetizers-






Stuffed Clams-Grandma Betty


deviled eggs- Nana


onion dip-Nana


chips-Nana


carrots and celery with ranch- Easter bunny


spinach dip and bread-Easter bunny


peanut, M&M, & candy mixture-Easter bunny


sliced oranges- Easter bunny






Dinner-


Costco spiral ham-Easter bunny


scalloped potatoes- Easter bunny


corn- Easter bunny


steamed brocolli- Easter bunny


rolls- Easter bunny


Cornbread-Easter bunny


white rice- Anika and Jasmine (they love rice!)


Brocolli & Cheese soup-Easter bunny






Dessert-


cupcakes-Grandma Betty


brownies- Grandma Betty






Drinks- Gerry & Betty


water bottles


iced tea


coke or pepsi/ reg. and diet


sunkist orange soda 2-liter



kids juice boxes


wine

Inclined To Say...Dedicated To My Family...New Header

I created this page using two photos of Gerry I snapped in our garage last month. The kit I used is called Tough Guy by Designs by Sarah Bennett. The torn paper I did myself in PSE, using a white brush and then using the eraser. I love this feature on this page the most. 

Back to Gerry...he will take apart his car then put it right back together for fun! I am glad that he is able to work on vehicles. This is a great skill for someone to have, especially in this day and age. Many of these trades are no longer passed on from generation to generation. In Gerry's case, his maternal grandfather taught him most of what he knows. From there is self-taught and able to solve issues on his own. AND he never has dirty fingernails! SCOREEEE!

I decided to make a layout this week of Gerry so I could think about his skills and attributes. It was nice to focus on him and remind myself of what a great husband I have.

I even stayed away from Facebook, my cell phone and phones in general for a whole week! I barely responded to emails. I totally detached myself from things as much as possible to get some things sorted out. This was the best idea I had in a long time!

If I have not returned an email or call this week, do not be offended. I only made on or two pages for my design teams and I did not even play on my laptop. I was dedicated to my immediate family for several days. We have had a great time hanging out (during a few hours a day we were not at work/ school or school functions!)

Last, did you see my new blog header? I made it today with some instructions from Design House Digital

Click here for the page that I found useful. I did not buy a header though. I made this one myself.

Have a great weekend.

Just In Time for Easter-Freebie

Click here for this awesome Easter freebie!

I hope you celebrate Easter! If you don't the soft pastel colored papers can work with anything. Click the link above to check out Stacy's matching kits, pick up the freebie and see some layouts made with the full Sunday Best kit. Here is my layout that I created....Jasmine and Anika were outside last week modeling their new Easter dresses I picked out for them.

I CANNOT wait to see these two bunnies hopping around the backyard searching for Easter eggs this year. Last year they did it in bathing suits. It was not the same thing as being all dressed up! What will you be doing for Easter this year? We will start of the festivities by baking bunny shaped cookies. Please remind me what bunnies have to do with the resurrection of Jesus.

Creating a Two Page Layout

 Edit on April 7, 2010 "(kit by Chelle's Creations, http://www.scrapmatters.com/)

I am excited! This layout was selected as a Gallery Stand Out the week of April 1, 2010 on Chelle's Creations blog! Check it out here! Click to visit Chelle's blog."

Ready to create a 24" x 12" layout? These are the measurements of a two page layout (with 12x12 pages).
1. Open a new blank file in the size of Width- 24, Height- 12.
2. Click here to read the rest of the directions courtesy of Britt-ish Designs and Scrap Matters blog!

Tip- don't forget to use your grid. Select View > Grid (in Photoshop Elements most versions)!

Good luck creating your two page layout. I prefer two pages at a time to ensure my book will flow from left to right. Create balance and dont' forget to use elements in groups of threes! See my layout above? There are three clusters of similar shapes and colors-the blue flowers. Draw a line from one of the clusters, to the next, and then the next. These three create the shape of a triangle which draws the eye around the entire layout to create unity.

Do you already create your files as two pagers? Thanks again to the great resources of Scrap Matters blog. Why re-type the directions, when I could not have said it any better than they can?!

Coming Soon!

My two page layout Girl Scout themed! Directions for creating a two page layout and saving it in PSE (a cool video from Britt-ish Designs from Scrap Matters.) Plus, a freebie adorable Easter card for you here-----> click me!

What are you doing for Easter Sunday (if you celebrate!) Any plans for Spring Break? I am planning an Easter egg hunt and ham dinner after church Easter Sunday. I think I will make one of these cards for each of my guests. Maybe turn it into a place card somehow. Do you know of any adorable Easter themed kits?

Style

Good morning! Today I am having just another Manic Monday. I woke up an hour earlier than usualy, just like everyone else who set their clocks ahead one hour. I feel jipped, ripped off and robbed. My time is my time right? Wrong! Uncle Sam can take a portion of my salary, which I donate 40 hours of my time to weekly. And now, another hour? Give it back! (Insert giggles here.)

Okay, seriously, I was up late last night digital scrapbooking once the kids were in bed. I was in a groove! I am starting to develop my own style for digital scrapbooking. I realized a lot of important factors in digital design, that I was also doing with paper crafting pages....but did not know how to apply digitally...until recently. I feel like the digital is less of a challenge these days. And this is when it becomes more enjoyable! I hope to figure out my own style soon. What is your style? Do you have one or a way to describe it?

Here are two pages I made last night....the wedding layout was created with Remember Me from Designs by Sarah Bennett. The Halloween layout was created with Sister Sue, by the same designer. You can find all of Sarah Bennett's great products in the shop at Scrap Matters. Click here to go to the shop for Designs by Sarah Bennett.

Our Honeymoon Story

Slowly but surely, I am creating a book about my honeymoon. Why don't I start with the wedding book or album first? Simply because my digital scrapbooking skills get better by the page! I am saving the best for last...as far a photos go. Our honeymoon had the most interesting things happen so I do have fun looking back and feeling those memories once again while they are still fairly fresh in my heart and in my mind.

I have the first page completed. The second and third pages are just about completed but not ready for release. My writing skills are so not up to par...they are SO valley girl and not the tone I want to set for my book. It is a challenge for me to journal with care and journaling has never been my favorite thing to do. I wish I could greatly improve my writing skills.

Anyways, check this out............

Some papers from Ever After kit by Jenn Barrette, paint stroke from Britt-ish igirl, momitude sticker by Miss Mint, title from Basic Grey, golden girls forever in love papers, Storyteller template by Tiffany TIllamn, and Ali's Hand font, and Inked Edges by Happy Scrap Girl. (PM me if you have specific questions, I will be glad to help.)

I want to remember everything from our honeymoon since we have two kids from my hubby's first marriage that we spend most of our time with. Those 5 days alone together were a nice treat! No work, no kids, just relaxation....with a few bumps in the road! Stay Tuned.

Courage

My dad (stepfather) Jim used to be an offshore oil rigman off the coast of Santa Barbara. When I was growing up, I alway imagined his long boat ride to and from the big aliens made of strong steel which stood far away from the shore in the middle of the ocean. Some day I hope to get a tour of one of those rigs. It would be like discovering a different world!

Created with Country Warmth kit by Stacy's Back Door Designs. Other elements from Stacy's kits include sand from Southern Christmas and word art from Stand Tall.

Spunky Monkey AND Guest Creative Team Member AND Freebie

This two page layout was created with two different templates from Lined Up Templates kit, Spunky Monkey kit, splatter from Spunky Monkey add-on freebie. The alpha, the orange tag with hanging ribbon with button and the metal flower dotting the letter 'I' from the Sister Sue kit. All kits by Designs by Sarah Bennett. Font Ck Ali's Hand.

For the month of March, I have been invited as a guest on the creative team for Designs by Sarah Bennett! I am honored and excited to a part of the creative team, even if it is temporary. To top things off, her newest kit is Spunky Monkey. Most people know that I love monkeys. Plus, I am a bit spunky. I am a fan of Sarah Bennett's work and  the names she selects for her kits. The quality of the elements and papers is amazing! The kits from her collection consist of colors and elements that can be used with either boys or girls (except the Tough Boy kit). Kits that can be used for more than one topic and subject are great because you get so much use out of them.

I have posted a few more layouts below which were created by other creative team members.

Grab your own kit by clicking right here!

There is a freebie add-on for the Spunky Monkey that you can find by clicking right here.

This is the freebie below. I used the glitter splatter on my page above. Grab one for yourself!

Blushing Girl

I created this layout, with a picture of myself, this evening. Even though I am tired, I stayed up to finish my layout. Today I discovered Vinnie Pearce. Her kits are available on Two Peas In a Bucket. After a few weeks of being stuck in a rut, I am inspired again! I have spent a lot of time recently on another site, other than Two Peas. It began to feel as though there was not a lot of artistic creativity but more of people scraplifting and developing very similar styles to one another.

I am glad I found Vinnie Pearce's work today after seeing her Creative Team Call.

http://vinniepearce.typepad.com/ Visit Vinnie's blog for more call information.

SO, dying to know what I used for this kit? I used Beach Flower Elements and White Foundations II by Vinnie Pearce. The inked edges are by Happy Scrap Girl.

(Note I do not create for or promote for 2ps or Vinnie Pearce. I just love these products and my new layout!)

In addition to creating the fab layout, I worked some magic on the photo. Here is my before photo, taken in 1975....

My sister Lisa and me in 70's clothing and colors! Do you alter your photos before you digitally scrap them? I am very pleased with the way the photo and the layout turned out!

Toot my own horn...toot toot!! Haha I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Oh, and apply for the creative team call if you are digi. Get digi with it already.