Album In a Night

Join me Friday July 9th for a night of scrapbooking and FUN! We will be creating a unique album with various size layouts (holds approx 142 photos) . We will be using My Minds Eye new line of papers along with many of their embellishments. If you are interested give K2 a call 941-926-1744 to reserve your spot. You do not need to have photos to complete this album...so it would make a great gift too! For complete details, call the store or e-mail me and I will send you a list of stuff you need to bring to class!

Riley's 6th Birthday Pinata

My new blog signature

For a while now, I have seen women who post a "scripted" signature at the bottom of their blog posts and I love it! So...I googled how to do it, and of course a blogger mom posted a "how to" on her blog. THANK YOU!!!
If you are interested in how to do this go to My Live Signature and create your own. Once you are finished copy your HTML code. Then (if you have blogger) open up your Dashboard, go to Settings, then click on Formatting and scroll down till you see blog posts add it and save. Now it will automatically show up on every post.
Yup, it's that easy.
xoxo

adorable give away

Check out this cute dress on Ruffles and Roses... a really cute craft blog. Amber is giving you a chance to win it, if you post a link to her blog...check it out at the above link! I think it is totally adorable...plus, I love the fact she made it!
dream.design.create.
nikki

just another afternoon at the Cleary's...

i think the gator may be mad!
Hank (on left) and a friend of his that he was training "how to" catch a gator.
...carrying him to the truck.
He was between 6 1/2 and 7 feet long.
Sean, I know you would never believe me ...unless I got proof! :)
OMG!!!!!!!!!
A couple of weeks ago we saw two gators swimming in our lake...they were coming dangerously close to the dock and then they were swimming right next to our property line in the back... not a good scenario when you have 2 dogs (one injured and can't run) and three little kids! We called the trapper to remove him, and had no real "action" till today. I went down to the dock to check on the bait for Hank (the alligator trapper) and saw the pole was bent and the rope was under our dock. (Now, for all you non alligator people that is not uncommon to have the bait stolen by turtles and the rope to just be in the lake... WELL, today when I yanked on the rope (not once but twice!!) it didnt move. "HOLY CRAP" was all I could think... so standing on the dock, I called Hank and said, "I think we might have something. I pulled on the rope and it didn't move" As I was telling him this, I am walking up the incline of our dock towards the house... I looked down and was looking straight at the alligator. I then screamed some profanities and ran like heck back inside. When Hank arrived, I got out my camera and snapped away. After he had the alligator's mouth safely wrapped and another man was holding him by a rope, he calmly asked me if I would like to sit on it and get a picture... I hesitated for all of 2 seconds...my boys are going to LOVE this. Wait till they see their mommy sitting on the back of a gator. My heart is still pounding, and I am sure this is a story I will be telling for many years to come...
nikki

October Afternoon LO Bootcamp

...is in session, tonight at 5:00 pm... there are still 3 seats available!!! Call K2 to reserve your spot now! 60.00 for 20 layouts...it includes all your supplies, PLUS you will be going home with all your extra papers and embellishments! The only things you will need to bring (besides your basic tool kit) is approx 10 prima flowers, 10 buttons and 10 chipboard hearts.
If you cant make it tonight, you can still buy a kit which will include all the class supplies, PLUS the 20 sketches and simple instructions to create these layouts.

dream. design. create.
nikki

from "trash" to "treasure"

The start of our recovering... trying to hide that hideous blue.
A close up of the blanket I made to match.
The finished chair. I also made a matching throw blanket and arm rest covers in case one of our dogs wants to cuddle up in it too.
OK, well not quite "trash"...but I found this chair at a local consignment shop for 5$. I took it home and scrubbed it clean. It had good bones, so I knew it would be a canidate for a chair recover. I knew exactly what I wanted, just had NO idea how to make it. My mom had just refinished a chair in her home...so the obvious choice was to take it to her house and have her help me. It took us an entire day (which I actually think was good...I imagined it taking 3 days) to recover the chair and the cushion. I spent another afternoon making the ruffle. If you ask me how we did it...I really wouldn't know how to answer, except we used my mom's sewing expertise. We layed fabric over the area we wanted to cover...pinned it...then did LOTS of praying that it would fit... and it did!! It is the perfect little reading chair.
dream. design. create.
nikki

April review...

coloring easter eggs with the kids...the finished design.
hunting for the eggs the Easter Bunny left...
charlotte found an easter egg
riley, happy with all the candy he found
our beautiful family.
my little cowgirl.
taking the kids to jungle gardens with riley and sophia's kindergarten class.
feeding the flamingos.
brody's new do.
A busy, but FUN month.
xoxo
nikki

Alphabet inspiration...

I found this great list over at kiss the groom which is a beautiful wedding site filled with much more inspiration...

Always

Beautiful

Conscious

Devotion

Elegant

Faithful

Grateful

Honor

Inspiration

Je t’aime

Kisses

Lovely

Marriage

Nuzzle

Oath

Peace

Quality

Respectful

Sweetness

Truth

Universal

Vision

Wisdom

X-factor

Yearn

Zion

Hobo Camp

A few months ago (yes, I have just gotten the chance to blog it) Riley had the unique opportunity to attend a birthday party on a steam engine train. Each child was given a red handkerchief to wear around their neck and a conductor's hat so they were easily identified. The kids rode in the caboose of the train to a "hobo camp" about 45 minutes away. Everyone received a hobo kit upon arriving which consisted of a hotdog/bun, marshmallows and a stick. The kids all sat on hay bales which surrounded a fire pit and "cooked" their hot dogs and roasted their marshmallows...it was so much fun. They had a chance to run around and play before climbing aboard the caboose for the ride back to the station. What a great way to celebrate a train lovers birthday... thanks Nathan (and mom) for inviting us!
xo
nikki