So Sketchy Guest Design Team

Hey folks...

For those who read my blog... there's a GDT open for April...

Here's the 411:
For the month of March, anyone who submits a card or page using any of the sketches posted for the month have a chance to win a guest designer position on So Sketchy for April.

Contest details:
For the monthly contest, please email your submissions to: sosketchy@live.com Create a page or card using any of the sketches showcased this month. Please reduce the size of your image to below 150kB.

With your image:
Please include your name, location and title of your creation.

Please identify what sketch number(s) you used for your creations. The So Sketchy Sistas will vote for the best submission and the submission that has the most votes will win the Guest Designer position for April.

NOTE: If would like to be considered for the Guest Designer position, I would love to see you comment on the March creations by the So Sketchy Sistas this month.MARCH CONTEST DUE DATE: All creations are due by the 4th of the following month. (ie: March sketches due April 4.) You will win a copy of the printable images from The Cutting Cafe the Sistas used for their March creations, PLUS two of your choosing and a guest designer spot for the month of April.

If you have won in the last 3 months, you are ineligible for this month's prize. Good luck!!

Please enter today!! :)

Sneak Peeks... and a breakthru.

Annde had a breakthrough at her swim lesson today. I might have found the "button" to push... to get her to join in. We normally go to the library after lessons to pick some books up for the week. Normally, she gets 10 - the kid LOVES books.

So, today on the way to lessons, I put in a new rule: for every time she says No to the teacher, she loses a book. So, if she says no 5 times, she only gets 5 books. If she says no 10 times, no books at all. I reminded her again as she was getting in... At first she balked at putting her head in the water... So, I held up 1 finger. Then, she did it. Next, she didn't want to front float, so I held up 2 fingers... By the end of the session - she had only lost 3 books! It worked so well!! I was so proud of her...

For Tracy - here's you page... or parts of it... AHAHAHA!!!


For the rest of the page, check out Pink Sketches (link right) for the layout tomorrow.

Welcome to the Fleet, USS New York!

Here SHE is, the USS New York, made from the --- World Trade Center !

USS New York was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center. It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite , LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, 'those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,' recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there... 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.'Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the 'hair on my neck stood up.' 'It had a big meaning to it for all of us,' he said. 'They knocked us down but they can't keep us down. We're going to be back.'

The ship's motto? 'Never Forget'

And... it's about at the end...

This week... it's been dragging along, slowly. I have only scrapbooked one night this week. Too tired, I guess. Work continues to be overwhelming. The end of the quarter is in 2 weeks and I'll find out if we have to repeat this temporary layoff thing for another quarter. I worry about it but I am still so thankful I have a job - even if I am completely exhausted all the time.

To relax, I've been reading instead. Finished 3 books since Saturday. They weren't earth shattering literature, just chick lit or suspense... but sometimes you've got to take a break from your habits to renew that creative streak.

I do have to say though that last night, I did a truly great page. My friend Tracy is going to be excited because it's for her. She routinely gives me her pictures to scrapbook. It's helping to "catch up" those memories she wants to record and it gives me some variety in what I scrapbook. I can't post it just yet though because it's my layout for Pink Sketches. (Sorry, Tracy - you'll have to wait until Sunday!)

Instead, you'll have to enjoy a 2 page layout that I did on Sunday instead... It was about Annde "searching for Santa"... from receiving a webcam message from him to leaving oats outside and cookies/carrots/milk instead... Annde was super excited about the jolly Santa.

That's all for now.. Have fun, folks, and thanks for checking in!

How much do you know about St. Patrick's Day?

Me - not much... in fact, I know so little that I REALLY flunked this quiz. I know, I know... I'm appalled and probably should lose parent points on not knowing the origin of the holiday. (Although I'm German and Czech so I'm at least not disregarding my heritage!)

Try it for yourself and see how you do:
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/quiz/quiz.aspx?QuizID=306

I sure don't have the luck of the Irish, eh? :)

Pink Sketches #23

I had a lot of fun scrapbooking with Tracy on Saturday night... Jessica came over too and it was good to see her. I didn't get a ton done but I did do a couple of layouts. I just spent too much time obsessing over one layout.

Sunday was Zoe's birthday party at the pool. We had a lot of fun - Annde and I swam for over an hour. I think that the temperature of the water makes a HUGE difference on Annde's willingness to participate. I also think that trust comes into play as well. She is still balking at putting her face in the water and jumping off the side. If anyone has an ideas on how to overcome those two things, let me know... She's so stubborn and I am running out of ideas.

Here's my Pink Sketches layout of the week:

Products used: paper (Reminisce, Scenic Route, Heidi Swapp), stickers (Reminisce, Jenni Bowlin, 7 Gypsies), die cut felt filmstrip (Prima), chipboard (Scenic Route), adhesive (pop dots, Kokuyo), and pen (Zig).

Well, off to make the lunches. Have a good day everyone...

Rounding up for Kindergarten

So, this week was Kindergarten Roundup for the parents. We were very excited to go and see all the fun things that Annde will be learning next year. They showed us a movie about what a typical day involves and talked about all the fun things that they will be doing this year. I have to say that I am very happy with our choice! They really focus on writing, reading, and art in this class, in addition to Science, Social Studies, and the typical specials (art, music, gym, computers, library, and Spanish). They also do a lot of things with the 5th graders, which I think is really cool (book buddies, lunch buddies...) I think that Annde is going to be very happy there. Especially since she already knows several people in her classroom. I really hope she gets put in a room with Zoe. They play so well together.

Well, I am off to scrap tonight with Tracy - Color Me Daisy is having a Dr. Seuss Cyber Crop - and just relax. It should make up for my frustrating morning at swim lessons. If she didn't need to learn to swim for the boat... Man! She can be sooo stubborn!

Here's a sneak peak at my layout that will be up tomorrow at Pink Sketches...