September Color Challenge - 2nd Anniversary Layout

I did this layout for the September Color Challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges.  If you haven't visited this fun website you should really check it out.  It has been inundating me with inspiration lately and I've been completing more layouts than ever!  The color challenge was to use the following color palette:

Here is my take:

I actually used a pre-stitched paper.  I added the border using a border punch and the title and bling.  The card I used to mat the photo of Juan and I on the right is actually the card with the message Juan added from the florist. 

I created a little pocket on the right side to hold the cards that we gave each other, because they didnt' match the color palette.  I added little pull tabs on each one.  Here is a photo with the cards pulled out.  The little edger on the title is CTMH.

09.25.10 Aquarium

After living in Dallas for approximately 7 years, my mom had still never been to the Dallas World Aquarium and since it poured down in rain today, we decided the indoor aquarium was the perfect option.  Vanessa, Jeff, Jakob, Mom and I loaded up and headed downtown.  Jakob loves animals and had an absolute ball.  He mimics every name and sound the animals make.  I even hopped when we saw the rabbits and Jakob then hopped for the next 5 minutes or so.  It was also a great chance to try out my external flash, which I now love!  As you can see in the photo below, Jakob is in total awe of the crocodiles!

Here are a few more of my favorites.  The one where Jakob has his arms outstretched...that one he is wanting to come to Tia!  Awe how that melts my heart.

09.24.10 Juan's first Photo Exhibit

Juan is the official photographer for the Latinos in Architecture (LiA) chapter of the AIA in Dallas.  The LiA Committee hosted an exhibit at the AIA for National Hispanic Heritage Month in which they are celebrating the Work of Dallas Latin Architects and Designers.  The LiA asked Juan to photograph some of the buildings in Dallas that have Latin influence to be on display as part of the exhibit.  For the past few weeks he has been photographing these buildings.  He was a bit surprised and exited to learn this week that the "display" they wanted him to create was actually a small show where his photos would be hung in the gallery and a powerpoint presentation looping through the remainder of his photos.  The opening was this evening and everything was fabulous.  His "show" is at the entrance to the exhibit and will be up with the exhibit through October.  His photos looked amazing and he did an excellent job.  I am very proud of him!

09.23.10 Ever feel Locked in a Box?

Do you ever feel trapped?  Like you are locked in a box?  Like everyone is just watching you, waiting for you to give up?  This is how I've felt the past couple of weeks at work.  When I took this photo, I related 100%....the only difference is that I can get up, climb out of my box and make a change.  I think I need a weekend of creating to help me climb out of my box!  :)

09.22.10 9/11 Artistic Interpretation

Juan and I were downtown this evening for our first play of the season for the Dallas Theater Center, Henry IV, when we saw some small artist exhibits on the first floor of the Thompson & Knight building.  I thought this particular display was very strange, until I read what it was depicting, box cutters used on the planes in the 9/11 attack.  It is by Mark Grote and titled "Only time will tell".  Here is the synopsis:

September 11th 2001 to October 7th 2001 total days, 26

America was attacked on September 11th 2001 and we respond by attacking Afghanistan on October 7th 2001.  The war on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda has now been going on for over nine years.  The attackers used box cutters to takeover the four planes.  Today we have only one thing we can look at to see our successes.  And that is many of the Afghan people have been able to vote.  However even that has much to be desired.

 

09.21.10 Meet Ryan Michael

Danna came into the office today and brought her new little boy for us to meet.  I have been meaning to go visit for the past couple of weeks and everything always seems to be so crazy!  He is an adorable little boy and looks just like Kaitlyn did when she was his age.  Congrats Danna!

09.20.10 Sweet Surprise

I came home from work today to find a sweet surprise from my hubby, Sprinkles Cupcakes!  He thought we needed a bit of sugar!

09.19.10 Futbol Season Begins

Yes, it's that time of year again...where I loose my husband to hours of soccer games!  :)  That's ok, it just gives me more time to scrap.  Today Juan was watching his favorite player, Lionel Messi, play for Barcelona when he was injured (Messi not Juan).  They took him off the field on a stretcher and it was said he would be out for at least three months.  It ended up being torn ligaments in his ankle and he is only expected to be out for 10 days....that's just crazy nuts!

Sketch #217 Challenge Layout

Today I skyped with Angie and managed to finish yet another layout with the inspiration from Scrapbook Challenges.  This one is from Sketch #217.  Here is the sketch:

And here is my lift of it.  I made it a 2 page layout and used the squares on both pages.

Sketch #218 Challenge Layout

There was a new sketch posted this week at Scrapbook Challenges.  It inspired me to create.  Here is the sketch: 

And here is my take on it.  I created a double page layout, scraplifted from Amanda Pace.  I used CTMH stamps and rickrack.  What does it inspire you to create?

09.18.10 Sole's Volleyball Game

Our niece, Sole, joined the volleyball team at her school this year.  Today was her second game.  She did a great job for only her second time playing.  She even managed to get the ball over the net when she served, a first for her.  Great job Sole!

09.17.10 Computer Desk

We bought a new cart to hold our computer printer this past weekend.  I worked all last weekend and almost every night this week working on cleaning out my space.  We now have a lot more space at and around the computer desk.  Juan is very happy.

09.16.10 Is this what I ordered?

I was traveling today in Houston for work.  I had a 6:30am flight to Houston and meetings at two facilities on the opposite sides of town.  It was a jam packed day, so I just grabbed a quick bite at the McDonald's drive-thru on my way to the 2nd facility.  I ordered a filet-O-fish and drove off.  Imagine my horror when I opened the fish filet to a fish filet with a burger in lieu of the fish....but it wasn't just a burger, it still had the tarter sauce!  Needless to say, I didn't eat my lunch.

09.15.10 New Ribbon Storage

I have been working on my scrap room all week.  I decided to create a new ribbon storage on my wall so I could see everything I have.  Also, I just love the color it adds!  I used regular binder clips and an aluminum push pins from the Container Store to hold the binder clips on the wall.



09.14.10 Flower Power

I figured out a way to hang more elfa hooks on my shelves behind my work table.  Now I can hang my flowers to see everything I have.

09.13.10 Raffle Tickets

Our niece, Sole, is selling raffle tickets for her school's Fall Festival.  This is a picture of her and Tio Juan filling out the raffle tickets.

09.12.10 Jakob, a Truck, Water, and Tio Juan

We went to Mom's this evening to see her new tile in the Kitchen and Vanessa was there visiting with Jakob.  Jakob and Juan had a blast playing on the driveway with only a truck and a bottle of water.  Juan would pour water into the back of the dump truck and roll it to Jakob and Jakob would splash it all out and roll it back to Juan.  Jakob was soaked, filthy and thoroughly having a blast!

09.11.10 Hot Wheels for Jakob or Juan?

Vanessa came ove to go through all of the scrapbook stuff I recently purged before I donate it.  She brought our nephew Jakob.  Juan immediately ran out to Toys R Us to buy a Hot Wheels track and cars to play with.  He says they are for Jakob, but I think they are secretly for him.  We kept Jakob for a couple of hours so that Juan and Jakob could play together.  They were very cute.  Jakob is maticulous about the cars need to face the right direction before they race.

09.10.10 Tree Disposal

The landscape crew came today to remove our fallen tree. It took them almost 4-1/2 hours to cut and remove this 40' Oak (just the limb that broke).  This photo is during the removal.  Yes, this is only the top part of the limb, you can see they still have a ways to go at the trunk; and yes, that is a worker standing on the carport.  The second photo is the crazy way they cut the top, essentially with a chain saw on a metal post.  It was very scary to watch, but they did a good job and the tree didn't fall through the house.  Yeah!  Now we just need to have the remaining tree removed before it falls on the neighbor.